THE Ghana Police Service in collaboration with the National Road Safety Commission has commenced a nationwide operation to ensure the removal of all unapproved lamps from vehicles.

According to Police the offenders will be prosecuted when necessary which forms in line with the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012, L.12180.

The Police in a statement noted that “Over the last four days alone, unapproved lamps on more than 300 vehicles have been removed by the joint team in the Eastern, Northern and Western North Regions”.

The statement added that the exercise shall continue in all regions across the country until we get rid of this dangerous practice.

Also, research indicates that the installation of unapproved lamps on vehicles negatively affects the vision of other motorists especially at night, thereby causing road accidents.

“We want to use this opportunity to sensitize vehicle owners about the dangers associated with the use of these lamps and caution them against the installation of such unprescribed lamps on their vehicles” the statement added.

The Police also warned those already having unapproved lamps should voluntarily remove them before the team catches up with them.

They, however, urge the public to support us in this endeavor to protect lives and property on the roads

The Ghana Police Service has launched a dog patrol initiative in the country’s capital, Accra.

The initiative, under the K-9 Unit of the Service, will see personnel with highly-trained security dogs under leash strategically positioned for operational patrols.

The police announced on Monday, October 18 that this innovative exercise is “aimed at increasing the visibility of personnel, improving intelligence gathering, tracking of contraband goods and improving upon other aspects of criminal investigations”.

It comes barely two months after the horse patrol was launched a few weeks after Dr George Akuffo Dampare was appointed Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP).

The police say plans are underway to extend the dog patrols to other regional capitals.

“We shall continue to pursue multiple Security and Visibility Modules to increase our interactions with the public and aggressively fight crime in our communities

Majority Leader and Minister for parliamentary Affairs

Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu has questioned the relevance of regional executives of political parties.

In his view, their role was redundant except during elections, arguing that the main job is done at the polling station, constituency level.

He believes that these structures are catalysts for corruption since prospective candidates have to brie their way through to get the various positions.

Speaking at the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs engagement with political parties on Monetization of politics in Ghana – A focus on Solutions, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said “so, colleagues let’s look at the way we are resorting to elections, to select the leaders of our party from polling stations though electoral areas. And then we have constituency and then we have regions, then we have the national party, elections at every level.”

“Yet, we know that even at polling stations, the grassroots level, people have to be paying some kola and buying drinks, even there to get elected as polling station secretary, chairman, women organizer, where from this?”

“We are doing a complete disservice to ourselves and we pretend that nothing is wrong with it. When we come out in the open, nobody wants to admit to it because he/she wants to profit from the existing structures.”

He indicated that “I’m aware of article 55 (5). I’m also aware of article 55 (9) which provides that the national executive officers should be chosen from all the regions.”

“By extensive reasoning, if you come to the regional executives, I honestly do not think that apart from the purpose of coordinating the affairs of various constituency parties, I’m not even too sure of the relevance of the regional party structures.”

“In elections, they may be coordinating campaigns, apart from that what do they do? Because the real stuff is at the polling station level, the constituency level, The regional executives, what do they do, tell me? And even there people have to pay to get elected. Are we begin candid with ourselves?” he quizzed.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Monday, 18 October 2021, opened engineering laboratories and workshops at the Cape Coast Technical University, as part of his 2-day working visit to the Central Region.

The engineering workshops and laboratories consist of an automotive section; a mechanical engineering section which is divided into a welding unit and a fabrication unit; a civil engineering section; and an electrical and electronic section.

The Akufo-Addo Government is upgrading facilities in a number of Technical Universities and Technical Institutes by constructing workshops and installing the equipment for the use of these institutions.

It will be recalled that Parliament, in March 2018, approved a concessional loan agreement between the Government of Ghana and the EXIM Bank of China for an amount of US$119 million to finance “The Rehabilitation and Upgrading of Equipment in Polytechnics and Technical Institutes”.

Subsequently, Parliament in July 2018 approved the supplementary contract agreement, as well as the commercial contract between the government of Ghana and AVIC International Holding Corporation of China for the implementation of the project.

The Ghana-China Project on upgrading and rehabilitation of Technical Universities/Polytechnics and Technical Institutes will include two (2) polytechnics, eight (8) technical universities, and thirteen (13) technical institutes with construction of workshops, offices and laboratories.

The project is designed to support Government’s efforts, within the context of developing human capital, as well as resolving the key development challenge of the low quality of skills produced by the Technical and Vocational Education and Training sector in the country

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said the Komenda Sugar Factory that was built by the Mahama administration was not functioning when he came into office as President of Ghana.

He said the factory had collapse.

Mr Akufo-Addo wondered why the factory was not being operationalised if it was that important for the previous administration.

Asked about the way forward for the factory while speaking on Eagle FM in Cape Coast on Monday October 18 as part of his tour of the Central Region, he said the Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen had been working hard to get the factory opertaionalised.

“We are told by him that that is not his way of looking at things he will build the roof, and once the roof has been built then he will come down  and then lay the foundation . You know that a house that is built this this will collapse, just as Komenda collapsed

“The way forward is what Alan Kyerematen, the very dynamic and energetic Minister of Trade and Industry has been trying to do. First of all, our inheritance, a lot of money has gone into the Komenda initiative. It is important for us and yet nothing is happening, it was a stands still when we came into office.”

His comments come just four days after former Mahama replied his critics who claim he built the Sugar Factory without providing raw materials to feed it.

Mr Mahama said there was an arrangement in place to provide raw materials for the factory.

The 2020 presidential candidate for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) stated that he studied economics in School hence, was fully aware that a factory could not be established without making raw materials for it.

He explained that the Indian government had asked for the factory to be built and later apply for funds to support the production of raw materials.

The Akufo-Addo administration accused Mr Mahama of establishing the factory with making plans for raw materials.

But speaking Cape FM on Friday October 15, Mr Mahama said “When this government came they said the sugar wasn’t their priority and so they abandoned the 26million dollars the Indian government asked them to apply for .

” They didn’t apply and so they left it and the factory is just there.

“Do you think I am a fool to build a factory and I won’t make provision for raw materials? I am not that foolish, I read economics and so I knew what the vision was.”

The $35 million factory, built from an Indian EXIM Bank facility, has not worked since its commissioning in 2016.

The factory was revamped to revive the local production of sugar, thereby reducing the importation of the commodity

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has reiterated his promise to build an international airport in the Central Region capital of Cape Coast.

He told the Paramount Chief of the Oguaa Traditional Council, Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, that all is set for the takeoff of the project as feasibility studies are near completion.

President Akufo-Addo gave this commitment on Monday, October 18 when he paid a courtesy call on the Oguaamanhen at his palace ahead of his two-day tour of the Central Region.

The airport project was announced by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in its 2020 manifesto, which was launched in Cape Coast that year.

The project, as announced by Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, was to boost the tourism potential of the Region, among others.

But 10 months into his second term, no signs of the project have been seen.

President Akufo-Addo assured the gathering at the Oguamanhen’s palace that by the first quarter of 2022, sod will be cut for the project to begin.

He said if his new timelines are not me, the people of Cape Coast should hold their “son” Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, the Minister of Transport, responsible.

“But I know how committed he has been in seeing this project come to fruition,” President Akufo-Addo observed.

The President conceded that the government was contemplating between situating the airport between Sekondi-Takoradi and Cape Coast but the latter was settled upon.

He also assured of a facelift of the Cape Coast Metropolitan Hospital, assuring that he will charge the Ghana Health Service (GHS) when he gets back to office to take a look at the facility though it is not part of the flagship Agenda 111 projects

The Coastal Development Authority (CODA) has informed prospective applicants and the general public of the modalities for the purchase and payment of Bajaj Qute vehicles under the CODA Drive initiative.

The modalities shall apply to all applicants and beneficiaries of the initiative, a statement said.

CODA Drive is an intervention to improve livelihoods and create employment by facilitating transportation for individuals and small businesses within the Coastal Development Zone.

To qualify as a beneficiary of the CODA Drive initiative, an individual or small business: 1. Must be a member of any farmers, fishers, taxi drivers, ‘Okada’ riders or ‘Aboboyaa’ riders association for at least a year; Must be resident within the Coastal Development Zone (Oti, Volta, Greater Accra, Central, Western and Western North regions); Must possess a valid driver’s license, minimum Class B.

“Must be a member of CODA Credit Union and possess a CODA Credit Union membership card.

“Must complete an application form that should be endorsed by two guarantors.

Must submit completed forms to the regional office of CODA for further processing

Sammy Gyamfi, (L) and President Akufo-Addo

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has criticized the Akufo-Addo administration over the rampant increase in fuel prices.

The National Communications Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi said at a press conference in Accra on Monday October 18 that , the rampant and persistent increase in the prices of fuel products are a direct product of the insensitive and bad leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

He explained that “The introduction of a raft of new draconian taxes on Petroleum products such as; the introduction of 20 pesewas Energy Sector Levy on every liter of diesel and petrol; the increase of 18 pesewas in ESLA per Kilogram of LPG; the introduction of a 10 pesewas sanitation (‘borla’) tax on every liter of diesel and petrol; the introduction of a 1% COVID levy on NHIL & VAT, by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government, coupled with the free-fall of the Ghana Cedi which has been occasioned by their gross economic mismanagement, are the major factors responsible for the persistent and steep increase in the prices of fuel products.

“The introduction of these regressive and draconian taxes by a group of people who berated the erstwhile Mahama regime for ‘over-‘taxing’ Ghanaians and a group who promised to move Ghana from taxation to production when elected, smacks of deception and insensitivity of monumental proportions.

“The cascading effect of these draconian tax measures, have among other things, led to an escalation in the prices of fuel products, transport fares, building materials, food products and other commodities on the market, without a commensurate increase in incomes, thereby making cost of living unbearable for the vast majority of Ghanaians. This is the cause of the excruciating economic hardships Ghanaians are currently experiencing,” he said.

Below is his full statement…

STATEMENT DELIVERED BY THE NATIONAL COMMUNICATION OFFICER OF THE NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS, SAMMY GYAMFI ESQ., AT A PRESS CONFERENCE HELD AT THE PARTY’S HEADQUARTERS ON THE PERSISTENT INCREASE IN FUEL PRICES BY THE AKUFO-ADDO/BAWUMIA-NPP GOVERNMENT.

Monday, 18th October, 2021

Good afternoon distinguished ladies and gentlemen of the media. It is my singular honour to welcome you on behalf of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to this press conference which is intended to address the high and unbearable cost of living that Ghanaians are experiencing under the watch President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Bawumia, which has been largely been occasioned by steep increases in the prices of the Petroleum products over the last four (4) and half years.

Permit me to state from the word go, that the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia-NPP government has shown itself to be callous and does not appear a give a hoot about the plight of Ghanaians. Otherwise, what can be the justification for the rampant and persistent increases in fuel prices we are witnessing in Ghana today.

As you may be aware, Ghanaians have once again been slapped with another increase in pump prices of fuel by the insensitive and clueless Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration. Only yesterday, the price of diesel and petrol was increased by 7%. This is the ninth (9th) consecutive time in the year 2021 alone, that the prices of petroleum products have gone up. This has increased the price per gallon of diesel and petrol from about GHc21.00 as at January this year, to about GHc31.00 currently.

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, the rampant and persistent increase in the prices of fuel products we have witnessed under the watch of President Akufo-Addo and his deceptive Vice, Dr. Bawumia, are a direct product of their insensitive and bad leadership.

The introduction of a raft of new draconian taxes on Petroleum products such as; the introduction of 20 pesewas Energy Sector Levy on every liter of diesel and petrol; the increase of 18 pesewas in ESLA per Kilogram of LPG; the introduction of a 10 pesewas sanitation (“borla”) tax on every liter of diesel and petrol; the introduction of a 1% COVID levy on NHIL & VAT, by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government, coupled with the free-fall of the Ghana Cedi which has been occasioned by their gross economic mismanagement, are the major factors responsible for the persistent and steep increase in the prices of fuel products.

The introduction of these regressive and draconian taxes by a group of people who berated the erstwhile Mahama regime for “over-taxing” Ghanaians and a group who promised to move Ghana from taxation to production when elected, smacks of deception and insensitivity of monumental proportions.

The cascading effect of these draconian tax measures, have among other things, led to an escalation in the prices of fuel products, transport fares, building materials, food products and other commodities on the market, without a commensurate increase in incomes, thereby making cost of living unbearable for the vast majority of Ghanaians. This is the cause of the excruciating economic hardships Ghanaians are currently experiencing.

It will be recalled that a gallon of petrol and diesel was sold at about GHc16 in December, 2016 when the NDC/Mahama administration was leaving office. The NPP-led by their then Presidential Candidate, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo and Vice Presidential Candidate, Dr. Bawumia, lambasted and berated President Mahama for this and promised to scrap some taxes on Petroleum products, particularly the Energy Sector Levies and the Special Petroleum Tax so as to significantly reduce the prices of fuel. I am sure you would recall how the NPP in their 2016 manifesto described ESLA as a nuisance tax and promised to scrap same when elected. Unfortunately, many Ghanaians, fell for these lies and voted for the NPP. Little did they know that this and other similar sugar-coated promises of the NPP were pure sophistry.

Instead of scrapping the ESLA as promised, the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia-NPP government has collateralized it for a loan which has extended its intended duration from five (5) years to now fifteen (15) years, and increased it by over 20%. As if that was not enough, this government introduced a new Energy Sector Levy of 20 pesewas on every liter of diesel and petrol just this year. Additionally, they have introduced a sanitation (“borla”) tax of 10 pesewas on every liter of petrol and diesel.

As a result of this and other increases in existing taxes on fuel such as; the increase of the BOST Margin from 3 pesewas to 9 pesewas per liter representing an increase of 200%; the increase in the Fuel Marking Margin from 3 pesewas to 5 pesewas representing an increase of 67%; and the increase in the Road Fund Levy from 41 pesewas to 46 pesewas, a gallon of petrol and diesel which was sold at about GHc16.00 in December 2016 is today is selling at about GHc31.00. This is almost double the price they berated NDC/Mahama administration for.

It is therefore clear from the foregoing facts, that the high increase in the prices of fuel products we have experienced in recent time, is largely as a result of the many draconian taxes and tax increases this government has callously introduced on fuel. That is the major contributing factor.

Friends from the media, this astronomical increment in the prices of fuel commodities by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government and its concomitant effect on transport fares, have led to steep increases in general prices of goods and services thereby making life unbearable for the vast majority of Ghanaians.

A cursory look at the Construction industry, with a focus on the prices of building materials reveals a very worrying trend that is of major concern to many Ghanaians. A 50kg bag of cement that was sold at GHc27.00 in the year 2016, is being sold at GHc52.00 and in some cases above this price today. A tonne of iron rods (16mm) that was sold at about GHc2,800 in 2016 is today going for GHc5,300, while a packet of aluminum roofing sheet that was sold at about GHc520 in 2016 is being sold at about GHc1,200 today. Similarly, PVC pipes (20mm) that used to sell at about GHS3.00 in 2016 is today being sold at GHS8.00. Electrical Cables (Cable metal – 16mm) that used to sell at GHS700 in 2016, is today selling at GHS1,553 while the 1.5mm Cable metal, which used to sell at GHS78 is today selling at GHS167.

Distinguished friends, the situation is even more dire in the case of food products, where a bag of maize that used to sell at GHc170.00 in 2016, is today selling at GHc450.00, while a cup of Beans that used to sell at GHc1.50 is selling at GHc5.00 today. Also, an “Olankor” of Gari that used to sell at GHc5.00 in 2016 is today selling at GHc12.00, while a bucket of onion that used to sell at GHc15.00 in 2016 is selling at GHc40.00 currently.

Also, a bag of sachet water that used to sell at GHc1.50 in 2016 is today selling at GHc4.00 while a sack of “konkonte” that was sold at GHc200.00 in 2016 is being sold today at GHc600.00. Again, a pound of cow meat that was sold at GHc9.00 in 2016 is today being sold at GHc17.00, while one chicken (broiler) that used to sell at GHc35.00 is today selling at GHc70.00 cedis.

Additionally, a bottle of Frytol Oil that used to sell at GHc130.00 in 2016 is today selling at GHc285.00. Similarly, a crate of eggs that used to sell as at GHc12.00 in 2016 is today selling at GHc26.00, just to mention a few. This picture looks scary for many Ghanaian families and households, as it has become a constant struggle for many to afford three (3) square meals a day.

The reality is that “kromAyeshe”!. Times are very tough, the system is hard and pockets are dry. Car owners are suffering; Taxi drivers are suffering; “Trotro” drivers are suffering; “Trotro Mates” are suffering; Uber drivers are suffering; Bus drivers are suffering; passengers are suffering; And Ghanaians in general are suffering. Sadly, the state of economic hardships and hopelessness in the country keeps worsening by the day with no end in sight- all as a result of the insensitive policies and bad leadership of the deceptive Akufo-Addo/Bawumia-NPP government.

The question we would want to ask President Akufo-Addo and his “419” Vice President, Dr. Bawumia is; what has happened to their much-touted promise to move Ghana from taxation to production when elected? What has happened to their campaign rhetoric that Ghanaians were being over-taxed by the NDC/Mahama administration and their promise to develop Ghana through tax incentives?

It bears reminding ourselves that in the run-up to the 2016 general elections, these masters of political chicanery, President Akufo-Addo himself, ably assisted by his jocular “419” Vice, Dr. Bawumia, told Ghanaians in the Akan language that: “Yete Sika nso ekom de y3”, to wit, Ghanaians were sitting on money, yet we were starving. Now, the question we ought to be asking is, where is the money they claimed we were sitting on?

You would further recall that in the run-up to the 2020 general elections, Dr. Bawumia and President Akufo-Addo asked the Ghanaian electorate to give them four (4) more years to do more for them? Is the imposition of draconian taxes on Ghanaians which has led to persistent increases in fuel prices what they meant by “4 more to do more”?

Today, Ghana’s economy is in shambles. Our national currency, the Ghana Cedi continues to depreciate at an alarming rate against all the major international currencies, while government continues to cook fictitious economic figures ostensibly to paint a different picture. The US dollar which was trading with the Cedi at about GHS4.00 to a dollar as at December 2016, is today trading with the Cedi at about GHS6.2 to a dollar. This situation continues to erode profit margins of businesses, particularly importers, and is one of the major factors which are contributing to the escalation of fuel prices and the prices of general goods on the market, most of which are imported. Yet, the Vice President and Head of the Economic Management Team, Dr. Bawumia who was once touted by the NPP as their economic messiah is no where to be found.

What is even sad in all this is that, instead of focusing on the stabilization of the national currency and the introduction of economic measures that can provide relief for our people, the government has chosen the lazy and callous option of shifting all the burden on Ghanaians in order to finance their luxurious and opulent lifestyle. In the midst of hardships and economic difficulties, President Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia have chosen to live luxuriously like Arabian Kings, at the expense of the already-burdened Ghanaian taxpayer.

Ladies and gentlemen, there is no gainsaying the fact that the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia-NPP government is the luckiest and most resourced government in Ghana’s history. They have borrowed more than any government in the history of Ghana and have had access to revenue from three (3) oil fields in addition to tax revenue of over GHS157 billion, which is almost double the tax revenue (GHc83 billion) that accrued to the NDC/Mahama administration. Yet, this government has next to nothing to show relative to developmental projects. Instead of investing in the productive sectors of the economy, they have virtually wasted all these resources on consumption-related expenditures, profligacy and corruption. Their misplaced priorities are the bane of the ailing Ghanaian economy and the main reason why Ghanaians are suffering in a manner never seen in the history of this country.

It is instructive to note, that in the midst of persistent fuel price increases and ever-rising cost of living, financial allocations to the Office of Government Machinery have galloped from GHc79 million in the year 2017 to GHc823 million in the year 2021, representing a 937.73% rise. And what is this money being used for? Is it being used for productive projects and programs that can stimulate the economy, create jobs and improve the livelihoods of Ghanaians? The answer is a big No. Rather, all these monies are being applied mainly to financing the luxurious foreign travels of President Akufo-Addo in hyper-expensive private jets which sometimes cost the Ghanaian taxpayer as much as $20,000 US dollars per hour.

In the last three (3) months alone, the taxes of suffering Ghanaians worth over GHc10 million, equivalent to 100 billion old cedis have been wasted by this government on the renting of hyper-expensive private jets for President Akufo-Addo’s trips to Europe, the UK and the United States of America. This was after they wasted a whopping GHS64 million on similar trips of the Presidency in only nine (9) months in the year 2019. Sadly, this is happening at a time our state Presidential Jet, the Dassault Falcon 900 Ex which was bought by the Kuffuor administration at a price of $45 million is available and in a pristine condition.

Ladies and gentlemen, imagine the developmental projects these monies could have been used for in the health sector, or the education sector or the roads sector, or the energy sector, among others, for the benefit of the people, if government had set its priorities right and shown a modicum of sensitivity to the plight of the suffering masses.

Even in the Energy Sector, the corrupt Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration continue to plunder the assets of State Own Enterprises such as the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), BOST, GNPC among others. I’m sure you have heard about the brazen and unprecedented thievery that is going on at TOR currently, where 105,927 litres of Gas Oil, 18 drums of electrical cables and other valuable assets worth about GHc42 million (420 billion old Ghana cedis) have vanished into thin air. Yet, this corrupt and wasteful government continues to demand more revenue from suffering Ghanaians through the imposition of draconian taxes on the prices of fuel, with its ripple effects on cost of living, as I have amply demonstrated with indisputable facts.

Friends, it is the height of insensitivity and a monumental betrayal of the trust of Ghanaians for President Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia who promised to protect the public purse, to turn around and engage in this obscene and unprecedented plunder of the public purse, while at the same time, inflicting severe hardships on Ghanaians. It is very offensive for the President, His Vice Dr. Bawumia and other government officials to continue to display such odious ostentation, particularly at this time that majority of Ghanaians are suffering and cannot make ends meet. And, it is about time we told them that we the people of this country are no longer willing to pay for their opulent lifestyles.

We in the NDC are not surprised that dishonest President Akufo-Addo and his deceptive Vice, Dr. Bawumia are being exposed time again for the many lies they rode on into power. This is because we have always known that even though a campaign of deceitful promises can bring one into power, their true character will always expose them in the fullness of time. Lies they say, have a short life span.

The NDC wishes to add its voice to the call by well-meaning Ghanaians for government to sit up and stabilize the Ghana Cedi through prudent economic management so as to stabilize fuel prices and the prices of imported products in general. More importantly, we wish to call on the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government, to scrap some of the unnecessary taxes they have heaped on the price buildup of petroleum products so as to drastically reduce same.

We hold the view, that the two months suspension or zero-rating of the Stabilization and Recovery Levy of 14 pesewas and 16 pesewas per Litre of diesel and petrol respectively, is wholly-inadequate, insufficient and cannot bring about any significant reduction in the current prices of fuel products. In fact, given the fact that, the price of a gallon of diesel and petrol has increased by close to GHc10.00 in this year, 2021 alone, it is an insult to the sensibilities of suffering Ghanaians for government to offer to reduce the price of fuel by a paltry 63 pesewas, which is the net effect of the zero-rating of the Stabilization and Recovery Levy government has announced.

We therefore wish to call on the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia-NPP government to as a matter of urgency scrap:

1. the Special Petroleum Tax (SPT) of 46 pesewas on a liter of diesel and petrol. It will be recalled that the SPT was introduced by the erstwhile NDC/Mahama administration sometime in 2016 when crude oil export price fell far below government’s budgetary projections. The objective was to shore up government’s revenue for development purposes. But given the fact that crude oil export price has increased from below $40 to above $80 per barrel currently, far above the government’s budgetary projection of $54.75 per barrel, it is untenable for government to still maintain the SPT on the price of petroleum products now, and same should be scrapped immediately. This is particularly so, when government’s revenue from the oil sector for the second quarter of this year 2021, went up by almost 60%, equivalent to US$89.1 million, as compared to oil revenue for the same period in the previous year.
2. In the same vain, we call on government to scrap the newly introduced taxes on fuel products such as the Energy Sector Levies of 20 pesewas on a liter of diesel and petrol and
3. the new sanitation levy (“Borla” tax) of 10 pesewas on a liter of diesel and petrol, as same is totally needless and useless.
4. We also demand that the new increase of 18 pesewas on a kilogram of LPG must be scrapped.
5. And finally, we wish to call on government to consider the review of other existing taxes on fuel products in line with proposals submitted to the Ministry of Finance and Energy by the Chamber Of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC) and other stakeholders in the downstream petroleum sector.

Distinguished friends from the media, these demands are not borne out of cheap politics or partisanship, but the realities we presently find ourselves in and are intended for the collective good and welfare of all Ghanaians.

We wish to remind President Akufo-Addo and Dr Bawumia to respect and uphold the sanctity of their political pact with the Ghanaian electorate. The Ghanaian people did not bargain for this level of tax burden on the prices of petroleum products in the 2020 December 7 Polls. Governance at all times must be about the advancement of the collective good and not the narrow interest of a select few. This government has become too removed from the stark realities of the Ghanaian people and it is about time they got back on track.

Ladies and gentlemen of the media, we project that if government listens to us and does as we have advised, the prices of diesel and petrol will come down drastically. This will stabilize the ever-rising prices of general goods and services and go a long way to ameliorate the plight of suffering Ghanaians. But should government fail to heed our wise counsel as they always do, prices of general goods and services will continue to soar, hardships in the country will continue to worsen to gargantuan levels and all of us, irrespective of our political affiliations, except the few privileged ones in government, will continue to suffer.

As you do know, the last quarter of the year usually presents an opportunity for many to turn around their economic fortunes as we prepare for the yuletide. However, given the persistent increases in fuel prices we are witnessing and the ever-skyrocketing prices of goods on the market, it looks like we are heading for the worst Christmas ever for the Ghanaian people. We cannot allow the hardships we are experiencing to continue. We demand that things are changed by government for the better, and that change must happen now!

Thank you for your attention.

Signed,
SAMMY GYAMFI
National Communication Officer, NDC

Former President John Dramani Mahama has said that the current nature of the Free SHS policy, if not altered, will be a major contributor to the astronomically increasing unemployment in Ghana.

He linked this to the fact that over the years, young people prefer to migrate into the major centers because of job opportunities.

This, according to him is because chunk of these graduates do not have technical skills and therefore look up to a governmental organization for employment.

He alternatively suggested that more attention should be given to technical and vocational training, so as to equip Ghanaian youths with the necessary skills to help them opt for setups and entrepreneurship rather than relying on the few employment opportunities in the public sector.

The 2020 Running Mate for John Mahama and a Former Education Minister, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang also added that there was the need to plan ahead before the implementation of the Free SHS.

“Per the current birth rate, the country should start planning towards increasing infrastructure in the education sector. This will help prevent unforseen pressure on the current partially insufficient ones that we have.” she said.

Assembly members of the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly have confirmed the President’s nominee, Ernest Arthur amidst confusion.

The election was the 3rd time after two failed attempts to secure two thirds of the votes to enable him confirmed.

He polled 45 yes votes while 18 people voted no. 63 assembly members out of the 64 were present.

There was heavy police presence at the Center for National Culture in Cape Coast where the voting took place.

Voting started and ended successfully but confusion broke during the counting of ballots when someone believed to be an NDC sympathizer dipped his hands into the ballot box and attempted to run away with the papers.

Not even the presence of the Omanhen of Oguaa Traditional area Osabarimba Kwesi Atta could stop the confusion.

The Police had a difficult task calming the crowd, TV3’s Central Regional Correspondent, Thomas Cann, reported.

Some of the assembly members said they do not accept the results and have since vowed not to recognize Ernest Arthur as the MCE for Cape coast.

Source: 3newsa.com|Ghana

Crime scene experts have examined the scene and the bodies have been conveyed to the Police Hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy.

Police in Accra say they are probing a case involving the death of two children at Alajo, a suburb in the capital.

The bodies of the two children, both aged three, were found in the passenger seat of a broken-down Mercedes-Benz saloon car parked at a mechanic shop.

The Nima Divisional Police Command has taken over the case to establish the circumstances leading to the death.

This was announced by the police in a statement signed by Director, Public Affairs, Superintendent Alexander Kwaku Obeng on Sunday, October 17, 2021.

Crime scene experts have examined the scene and the bodies have been conveyed to the Police Hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy.

“We wish to advise parents and guardians to take the safety of their children seriously and to always keep an eye on them whenever they are out to play”, the police’s statement further cautioned.

In the meantime, the police have also entreated automobile mechanics to enclose their shops to control access to unauthorized persons, including children.

According to the police, children and other suspicious persons found loitering around mechanic shops should be reported to them for further action.

Source: Citinewsroom

His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, Former President and the 2020 Flagbearer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) 2020 will from today, Monday, October 18, 2021, take his nationwide ‘Thank You’ tour to the Volta Region.

As part of the two-phased tour of the region, President Mahama will meet the Agbogbomefia, Togbe Afede XIV, and the Asogli Traditional Council.

He will also hold an interaction with Religious Leaders at Dela Cathedral, Ho Kpodzi.

The former President will also grant a live radio interview at Global FM.

Other activities lined up include a visit to the residence of late Comrade Courage Worlasi Danku where he will commiserate with the family and sign a book of condolence in memory of the late Deputy Regional Youth Organizer at Sokode Gbagble.

Mr. Mahama will also meet party stakeholders at the G.M. Afeti Auditorium, Ho Technical University.

The second phase of the tour will allow him to pay a courtesy call on the Volta Regional House of Chiefs.

The visit is to show former President Mahama and the NDC’s appreciation to the traditional rulers and the people of the Volta Region for their massive support during the 2020 general elections.

John Mahama will be accompanied by his running mate, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, Mr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, Mr. Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, National Chairman and General Secretary respectively, national executives, and other party stalwarts from the region.

Komenda Sugar factory, which cost Ghana a whopping 35million US dollars has been abandoned in grass farms since it’s inauguration in 2016 by former President John Dramani Mahama.

The factory, aimed at primarily producing sugar for consumption by the entire country as a measure to cut down importation coat is unable to produce a cube of sugar to the market.

John Mahama in an interview with a local radio station in the Central Region accused current Akufo Addo’s government for neglecting phase two of the project.

This has sparked some criticism within some well meaning Ghanaians on social media as Mr. Mahama admitted the fact that the factory was established while the raw materials for production was not ready.

Some section of the Public has overtime pointed accusing fingers at him for poor and unplanned execution of the factory project. The Ex President however explained that the initial agreement and funding means necessitated the need for the factory before planting of the raw material.

Former President John Dramanihas re-stated his opposition to the Agyapa deal.

The deal, he says, will be bad for the youth because it will invariably mean “mortgaging the future of the youth”.

According to the former president, the Agyapa deal is inconsiderate because it is a plan to mortgage the future of the country and Ghana’s youth to fund Akufo-Addo’s present-day desires.

Explaining the rationale behind the Agyapa deal in an interview on Cape 93.3FM, Mr. Mahama said, “they are mortgaging Ghana for everything. They have sold everything for loans. Now they don’t have anything to sell anymore. It is our gold that is left, that is the Agyapa they want to do”.

“Because they see that they’ve sold the utensils, they’ve sold the chairs in the hall, the bed in the bedroom has been sold, now they are looking for the next item to sell. They have settled on the windows to sell. That is our gold, which they want to sell this time. They want to use that to go and collect over one billion dollars”, he lamented.

He said government has always received a 10% stake as gold royalties, which royalty the Akufo-Addo government is intent on mortgaging for loans to spend today.

He fingered Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, accusing him of being a happy participant because his company always gets a percentage from the loans raised.

The 2020 National Democratic Congress (NDC) Presidential Candidate said the government has benefited the most from Ghana’s resources and accrued the most revenue, but this has not reflected in the development of the country, and on the living standards of the people.

He observed that President Akufo-Addo, through his cousin the Finance Minister, has mortgaged the Energy Sector Levy and the GETFund for many years, which he says imposes the burden of payment on the youth who would be paying the debts for many more years to come.

“Even though the ESLA bond we brought was supposed to be for five (5) years, today the last ESLA bond they did they have extended it to between 20 – 30 years. It means you and I; our children and our grandchildren will continue paying the loan until beyond 2030. GETFund has been mortgaged for the next 15 years. This means all contributions we pay for GetFUND will only go toward paying loan and not for anything else”, he disclosed.

“Our children will pay and pay and pay but won’t be able to finish paying. Our grandchildren will take over from them and continue paying the debts” he added.

Mr. Mahama, therefore, warned that “If we don’t halt this trend government appears set on, it will get to a point where we can no longer pay our debts

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says the policies and programmes initiated by his government, since taking office in January 2017, are bearing fruit. and have impacted the lives of all Ghanaians.

Speaking at the centenary celebration of the Ash Town Seventh Day Adventist Church, on Saturday, 16th October 2021, President Akufo-Addo told the gathering that he came into office with the goal of improving the living standards of the Ghanaian people.

“After my first term in office, our achievements were visible for all to see, and that is why the Ghanaian people were good enough to repose their confidence in me again, and gave me four more years to do more for them,” he said.

Whilst acknowledging that life is still not easy as it should be, the President noted that there are solid reasons for all Ghanaians to hope for a brighter tomorrow.

Recounting the passage in Jeremiah 12:2, which says “You have planted them, and they have taken root; they grow and bear fruit”, he told congregants at the Church that “likewise, the policies and programmes being implemented by my government have taken root, they are growing, and they are bearing fruit”.

President Akufo-Addo continued, “In this Church, at least, I am sure we have parents here whose wards are beneficiaries of the Free Senior High School policy. We have achieved a number of noteworthy successes, and even though the pandemic of COVID-19 has derailed temporarily our progress, we remain on course, and will build back Mother Ghana much strongly.”

Reiterating his vision for the progress and prosperity of Ghana, the President stated that his vision to build a Ghana Beyond Aid remains constant, adding that “with the help of the Church, I am confident that we can realise this vision”.

Centenary Celebration
Thanking Almighty God for the growth of the Ash Town SDA Church, President Akufo-Addo stated that, since its establishment a century ago, the Church has impacted positively not only on the lives of congregants, but also on residents of Ash Town and Kumasi.

“From humble beginnings, this Church has grown into what it is today – a dynamic and integral part of this community. You have lived up to the aspirations of the forebears of this Church, Edward Sanford and Karl Rudolph, who first came to the shores of the Gold Coast, first landing at Apam, moving to Cape Coast before spreading out to the Ashanti Region, and other parts of Ghana,” the President said.

He continued, “Successive priests and congregations are to be applauded for these achievements, and for the many years of service and fellowship to country. You have been a good example of what it means to love one another and give cheerfully to those in need, and I have no doubt that this legacy of ministry and compassion will long grace this Church”.

The President’s prayer was that the Church will continue, for the next one hundred years (100 years), to spread the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, win souls, and serve the people of Ghana and Almighty God.

He also asked congregants to “pray for me, the government and the people I have appointed to various positions, that we exercise our responsibilities with humility and integrity, and pray for Ghana, that she remains united and continues to strive for progress and prosperity

Dozens of Qnet Agents and hundreds of recruits have been arrested by Police in Koforidua.

The special operation carried out by Police and Ambulance service Personnel from the Counter-Terrorism and Concentration Camp located in Huhunya on Friday targeted places where Qnet agents operate and target their victims.

The suspects include some West Africa Nationals. Some women with their children were among the recruits found at the premises of the Qnet branches. They have been arrested for defrauding hundreds of victims under false Pretenses.

Starr FM Investigation

Starrfm.com.gh published on March 15, 2021 that scores of Ghanaians and some West African nationals risk being scammed by agents of network marketing company Qnet Ghana.

Many Independent Representatives (IRs) in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, operating as agents of the company are using what appears to be deceptive business modules to recruit people as independent representatives.

On the first week of 11th January 2021, Starr News Eastern Regional Correspondent Kojo Ansah initiated investigations into the operations of Qnet agents in Koforidua following complaints of possible scam.

It was quite difficult establishing location of at least six Qnet agents operating in parts Koforidua. They operate in rented bedroom apartments without signposts.

At Koforidua Adweso-Mile 50, an agent was found operating from a walled four-bedroom house. A number of desperate unemployed youth well-dressed with some in suit and tie were found seated under tents in the house. A few minutes later, a self-acclaimed pastor came to worship with them and delivered a motivational message.

Ushered into a room after disguising as potential customer interested in joining the network marketing company, five persons including two (2) ladies were already seated in the room. They had come after an Independent representative introduced the direct selling business to them.

Twenty (20) minutes later, a young man came to the room to introduce the business modules. He first convinced the prospective Independent Representatives about the credibility of the company citing numerous sponsorship packages by Qnet for FIFA, CAF, , Manchester City WHO, UNICEF, ECOWAS among others.

He said worthy medical doctors, Journalists, Musicians, Politicians and some rich men in Ghana including Kennedy Agyapong, late former President Jerry John Rawlings were into the business.

He demonstrated that an Independent Representative could get initial commission of $225 for the first month and as high as $76,725 monthly commission after four years of joining the network marketing company and advertising its products to other customers who also refer others.

A young man who identified himself as Elvis Nelson Ayittey -Manager and Qnet agent, explained that to be registered as an Independent Representative, the individual must buy a form of at least Ghc100 and pay at least Ghc4,200 for the purchase of a product online and additionally pay Ghc400 hostel fee.

He added that  after payment, an online dollar account would be created for the individual to receive payment of commission twice daily after referring two others to also purchase a product

“To join this company, you have to purchase a product before. I hope he mentioned the prices to you. The least priced products are the chi -pendant which is ghc4,200 and the bio-dic is Ghc4,300. There is a way that we can do it for you to secure an account but without. getting the product that is paying ghc2,800. The company operates in 184 countries,42 is in Africa so they use one common platform. So, we are going to create international account for you so that you can use to get the product. This business is a form of E-commerce so you can do it to attach any work that you do. If you want to come and stay here add just Ghc400 to the amount to make it ghc4,600 or Ghc4,700” He said

“The advertising of the product is not about the number of people that you are going to advertise to. It is a form of teamwork. I started this business 16th of April last year things have changed in my life. I have many people. I have an office at Cape coast. Every week you will get commission. If you get 60 people under you, you will make $5000 every week. So, try and join.so are you going to fill the form. For the money, you can pay in installment. The forms are from GH100 upwards “The manager was captured on tape .

Apparently, the Qnet agent has a school attached to the network marketing as new recruits are made to register for online diploma and degree courses allegedly affiliated to Quest International University. He said Diploma and Degree certificates will be awarded depending on the course one pursues.
Quest International University had not replied email sent on January 13, 2021 to verify the genuineness of the alleged affiliation.

At Okorase, a community near Koforidua, where another agent was operating with same modus operandi, the story was not different. Over hundred youth were seen on the compound of the alleged Qnet agent going through training after paying huge sums of money to purchase a product online hoping to be registered as an Independent Representative to start earning the supposed commissions as assured.

The next stop this time around, was a house where nationals from West African Countries were similarly operating as Qnet Agents in Okorase.
They are mostly Burkinabe, Nigerians and Malians. The agents convince their victims mostly from Mali and Burkina Faso that they have secured well-paid jobs in Ghana for them.

The victims are asked to pay huge amounts to enable them commence work. After paying the amounts, they are held hostage under the guise of being trained to work online as Qnet Independent Representatives. Mobile phones of the victims are seized to disable them from communicating to their families.

The victims are told to convince two persons each from their respective countries to come to Ghana under the guise of securing job opportunities for them before they could be released. Few days before, Police in Koforidua arrested dozens of West African Nationals at Bornya a suburb of Koforidua after one of the fresh victims escaped from the custody of the agent.

QNET has maintained that it is a direct selling company that provides customers around the world with unique high-quality products and services while giving customers the opportunity to build a sales business by promoting the products. Qnet sells products online to clients.

The company trades products ranging from energy, nutrition, personal care, luxury and collectables, accessories, cosmetics, vehicles, holidays and education among others

Under its business module, independent representatives” (IRs) of the company receive $250 commission after they introduce the products to six people, placing three people on their left and three people on their right, described as two ‘legs’. When an IR introduces a new customer who then becomes an IR if they so wish, the original IR benefits (by receiving bonus points) from the success of their recruit.

These bonus points build up on only one of the IR’s legs. The IR must then introduce the product for a new customer to purchase it and also become an IR to add up to the monthly commission.

Over 10,000 people working under Qnet in Ghana

Qnet claimed that its network had employed 10,000 people in Ghana who earn between 1,000-10,000 dollars per month.

On 22nd and 23rd February, 2018, Qnet Ghana organized its first-ever Absolute Living Expo which was attended by many stakeholders and the general public. Government agencies such as the Ministry of Trade & Industry, Ministry of Business Development were well represented.

Ghana’s largest business association, the Association of Ghana Industries was also represented at the Expo which took place at the Accra International Conference Centre.

The Chief Director of the Ministry of Business Development, Mr. Joe Tackie, representing the Minister for Business Development said: “We are glad to have QNET in Ghana for the long haul. We are also very glad that QNET’s business module supports entrepreneurship. Having being in existence for 20 years and operating in about 100 countries across the world, we believe that Ghanaians will benefit immeasurably from the health, nutritional and entrepreneurial exploits QNET is introducing to Ghana.”

The Head of SME, at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Mr. Sampson Abankwa, representing the Minister for Trade & Industry added: “QNET’s entrance into Ghana is opening the space up for more entrepreneurial opportunities for the youth and Ghanaians in general”

Reaction on Findings of the investigation

Qnet Ghana responded to some of the findings in the investigation as follow.
“Okay Qnet is a business company and every business require a starting capital……So for sure you need a capital to start with…. And become a representative….No one get to the top alone team work is a key in our business”

On the Quest International University Courses being offered as part of the business module, Qnet Ghana said “Education is part of our business sectors if you meet the requirements you can enroll in any of our Universities…. And start offering a course of your choice through digital platform e-learning”

On Foreign nationals holding people hostage

Qnet Ghana explained that “People From far places organizing themselves confining themselves into rooms are not part of the business model…. But from the understanding of new representative can decide to join hand in hand to find a house to stay in so they can build their business…… Note: Qnet is a Global Business of only you have the understanding you can do business with us from any angle ”.

Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Kojo Ansah

Ken Ofori-Atta

MINISTER OF Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, says the Agyapa Royalty deal is best way to go for Ghana to help monetise her minerals and find a way to leverage mining.

He has consequently charged the reconstituted board of the Minerals Income and Investment Funds (MIIF) to continue with the work that has been done to address and overcome “all the concerns against the Agyapa transaction.”

Speaking at the inauguration of the board, the Finance Minister stated that this would enable the government to market and create the first mineral royalty company in Ghana and in Africa “because it is good for Ghana.”

Mr. Ofori-Atta indicated that the Ministry would do all the necessary consultations and resubmit Agyapa to Parliament for consideration.

“You must continue with the work that has been done following the theme of the budget ‘Continuity, Consolidation and Completion’ and address and overcome all the concerns against the Agyapa transaction, so that we can go to the market and create the first mineral royalty company in Ghana and in Africa because it is good for Ghana.”

The Agyapa Royalty was proposed by the government last year as a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to manage and monetize the country’s mineral royalties to finance key infrastructure projects.

However, some stakeholders, particularly civil society organisations (CSOs) working on extractives, anti-corruption and good governance, kicked against the move, asserting that there had not been enough consultation for their views to be reflected in the deal.

But management of the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF) at the time indicated that there had been erroneous assertions made in the media about the fund and its purpose.

The Public Relations Unit of MIIF, in a statement, noted that the MIIF was formed by Parliament pursuant to the Minerals Income Investment Fund Act, 2018 (Act 978) with the key objective of maximising the value of Ghana’s income from its mineral wealth for the benefit of the Ghanaians.

It insisted that the special purpose vehicle was also to maximise the minerals’ income in a sustainable and responsible manner with an aim to ensure that Ghanaians fully benefitted from the wealth created in the mining sector.

Mr. Ofori-Atta said “the Attorney General has looked at it. We had a few stakeholder meetings, and I think the new board should be energised to review that and go through the parliamentary process. I’m unequivocal that it is the way to go in terms of monetizing our minerals and finding a way to leverage mining

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has recalled some batches of Ceres 100% soft drink which is currently on the Ghanaian market.

According to the FDA, the product contains a higher amount of mycotoxin-patulin, which is above the acceptable level.

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) Ghana in collaboration with Transmed Ghana Limited, Accra wishes to bring to the attention of the public an ongoing recall of certain batches of Ceres 100% Apple Juice.

“This follows information received from the International Food Safety Network (INFOSAN) and the manufacturer of the product, Pioneer Foods Groceries (Pty) Limited, South Africa confirming that extensive laboratory tests and consultations with their local supplier of the apple juice concentrate, revealed that it contained levels of mycotoxin-patulin higher than the regulatory threshold,” the FDA said in a statement.

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey has sworn in 26 confirmed Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the Region.

Assembly members since September in the various Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies in the Region have been voting to confirm or reject the nominees by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The process has been smooth for the nominated MMDCEs with only three out of the total number of 29 yet to be approved by the assembly members.

The three outstanding nolminees, Mordecai Quarshie of Ledzokuku, Mohammed Bashiru Kamara of Ga Central and Latif Amanor, Ningo Prampram could not secure the required number of votes from their respective Assembly Members to be confirmed as Municipal Chief Executives.

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, speaking at the swearing in ceremony charged the MMDCEs to execute their mandate guided by the rules, regulations and procedures of the Local Government Act 2016 (Act 936).

He further implored them to ensure equitable distribution of developmental projects in all Electoral Areas devoid of Political biases for the total development of the Assembly.

The Head of Local Government Service, Dr. Nana Ato Arthur outlined plans by his outfit to organize some academic courses for key staff of the assemblies to enhance service delivery at the local level.

According to him, “I want to assure you that, your staff will be trained as soon as possible particularly Regional Coordinating Directors, engineers, and procurement officers on contract management, public financial management, etc.
“The rationale behind this is to help bring on board the best management practices in achieving the objectives of the service. I wish to express my confidence in you and the expertise you are seeking to bring to bear.”

For her part, the Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources who doubles as the Caretaker Minister for Gender Children and Social Protection, Cecilia Abena Dapaah tasked the newly confirmed MMDCEs to deal with streetism and sanitation to ensure a safe society.

“One major problem is the street children we see around. They are everywhere, and they are a danger to all of us and society. I hope you find ways and means to deal with that issue properly,” she said.

Communication and Digitalization Minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful also urged the MMDCEs to use digital platforms in collecting property rates and other services to enhance revenue mobilization

Communications Director of the National Democratic Congress, (NDC) Sammy Gyamfi has warned that it may be very difficult for the party to capture power if its current posturing on the political front does not change.

Sammy Gyamfi made the comments on his Facebook page on Friday.

According to him, if the NDC does not do an honest self-introspection and soul searching, it may never recapture power from the NPP.

Read full statement below:

“It’s about time we in the NDC did an honest self-introspection and soul searching.

“We cannot capture power from these power-drunk NPP despots with our current posture. There has to be a drastic change in our mindset, posture and actions relative to how we relate with the NPP on all fronts. It cannot be business as usual.

SAMMY GYAMFI”

Source: atinkaonline.com

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo thinks the dispute between Ghana and some neighbouring countries over boundary issues could explode if care is not taken.××

That, he said was because “an extensive analysis of our borders for example shows numerous recorded cases of distractions at the boundary markings of our demarcated lands and maritime boundaries.”

This situation, according to the President “exposes us to security, economic and other developmental implications including setting the tone for potential conflicts with neighbouring countries” and that “we (referring to Ghana)  still have a number of boundary disputes with our neighbours, both land and maritime.”

Thankfully however,  he noted that “none of these challenges have been violent.

Based on these concerns, President Akufo-Addo has charged the Governing Board  of the newly constituted Ghana Boundaries Commission (GhBC) to spearhead the amicable resolution of all existing border and maritime boundary disputes to avert any potential conflicts in the future.

This was when he swore in members of the Governing Board of the Commission which is chaired by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor this afternoon.

“We are told by the Institute of Security Studies that African maritime boundary disputes for example, that, unless resolved in a concerted and timely manner, will imperial both the long and short term implementation of maritime policies and strategies”, he noted with concern.

To that end,  he stressed the need for  African States and stakeholders to prioritize boundary dispute resolution, if a vital maritime economic development is to occur.

Meanwhile, he indicated that “there are also ongoing efforts to settle border problems with Burkina Faso in Paga, in the Kassena-Nankana district, and Sapeliga in the Bawku West District, both in the Upper East Region.”

“The vast amount of mineral resources along our borders including in the famous dollar power, in the Savannah Region, makes it imperative that we conclude these matters once and for all to forestall any potential needless conflicts”, he emphasised.

On his part, Chairperson of the Governing body of the Ghana Boundary Commission said their was consequential to the peace and security of the nation.

He therefore assured the President that the Board will work hard to protect Ghana’s territorial integrity.

Members
Members of the Commission includes Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Godfred Yeboah Dame, Attorney – General and Minister for Justice, Dominic Nitiwul, MP, Minister for Defence, Lawrence Asangongo Apaalse, representative of the Minister of Energy, Nathaniel Amonoo Wilson, representative of Ministry of Transport and Samuel Seth Passah, represebtive of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.

The rest are Osei Bonsu Dickson, Esq, representing the National Security Council, Emmanel Philip Owusu-Boakye, Ghana Revenue Authority, Surv. Michael Enam Dordor, FGhIS, Ghana Institute of Surveyors, Prof. Jerry Samuel Yaw Kuma, Ghana Institute of Geoscientists, Dr. Bukari Ali, Minister’s Nominee, Major General Emmanuel Wekem Kotia, National Coordinator, Ghana Boundary Commission, and a representative of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture yet to be nominated.

The Boundary Commission

Ghana Boundary Commission (GhBC) exist to ensure that Ghana’s land, maritime and air boundaries are effectively secured and managed within the framework of International Law, Peace and Security, and the African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Protocols on African and Regional Integration.

It has as its mission to demarcate, delimit and manage Ghana’s international and internal boundaries, including settling boundary disputes through the implementation of National legislation, and Regional and International Conventions on boundary management and cross-border cooperation in Africa.

The goals of the Commission are to determine and demarcate the land boundaries of Ghana and delimit the maritime boundaries of Ghana in accordance with accepted principles of international law, protect and secure the interest of the Republic in determining and demarcating land boundaries and delimiting maritime boundaries of Ghana.

Other goals of the Commission are to adopt international best practices in the demarcation of land boundaries and delimiting of boundaries of Ghana, Promote effective and efficient management of the boundary demarcation and delimitation processes and ensure consideration of the interest of Ghanaians affected by the placement of boundaries

•John Dramani Mahama has denied he has a Swiss account

• He said he only has 3 accounts

•He added he is open for a probe

Former President John Dramani Mahama has denied claims that he owns a Swiss bank account which has an amount of over $100 million.

According to him, he has only 3 bank accounts – ADB, Zenith, and Guaranty Trust bank -, hence any person who thinks otherwise can probe into that.

“I don’t have any foreign account anywhere, I have three bank accounts – ADB, Zenith, and Guaranty Trust bank. If you want to investigate me, investigate those banks, my money is all there,” Starrfm.com.gh reports he said this on Cape 93.3 Fm in Cape Coast.

Mr Dramani Mahama added that people who criticised him when he was in power have now become silent.null

“You made so much noise, and now you’ve all gone quiet. You’ve all been cowed. You can’t talk. There were all kinds of propaganda against me. They said Lordina and I have stolen $100 million into a Swiss Account. How would you get access to that kind of money? World Bank money doesn’t come to Finance Ministry. It’s with the BoG, how do I go to them to ask for such money and transfer it to a Swiss account?” he added.

His comment falls at the back of a publication by Pierre Wimhoven of the Associated Press News (APN) concerning President Mahama hiding $170 million in a foreign Bank account.

In the said article, the writer alleged that former President John Mahama and his wife, Mrs Lordina Mahama, hid a tune of $170 Million in a Swiss bank account.

It is alleged in the said article that World Bank and IMF officials are contemplating suspending aid to Ghana.

John Mahama has, however, denied this claim availing himself for further investigations.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

• Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has demanded the immediate reopening of Ghana’s land borders

• Ghana’s land borders have remained closed since March 22, 2020, as a measure against COVID-19 spread

• Mr Ablakwa said the situation is affecting land travellers

Ranking Member on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has demanded the immediate opening of Ghana’s land and sea borders.

According to the North Tongu Member of Parliament of Ghana, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is being hypocritical in implementing an ECOWAS agreement that mandates member countries to open their borders before the end of July this year.

“ECOWAS agreed to a phased easing of restrictions in the sub-region with a 31st July 2021 deadline by which date all member states should open their land and sea borders for free movement of persons and goods,” he wrote in a Facebook post sighted by GhanaWeb.

He described President Akufo-Addo’s position on keeping Ghana’s borders closed as a sign not representing great leadership.

“From all independent assessments, it appears only Ghana has not opened its land borders with her neighbours within ECOWAS. This cannot be great leadership from ECOWAS Chair, Nana Akufo-Addo who presided over the Fifty-eighth Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Governments held on 23rd January 2021 via videoconference where these critical timelines were agreed.

“President Akufo-Addo, you are under a compelling obligation to open Ghana’s land borders now!” he demanded.

The government of Ghana in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak announced the closures of the country’s land, sea and air borders as a measure to curb the importation of the virus into the country.

Despite announcing the reopening of Ghana’s air borders on September 1, 2020, the government is yet to reopen Ghana’s land and sea borders to travellers.

Several concerns, including economic implications, have been raised on the continued closure of Ghana’s land borders.

Sharing such concerns in his Facebook post, Mr Ablakwa again wrote, “those of us privileged to travel by air must spare serious thoughts for our compatriots who far outnumber the few elite air travellers but still cannot travel via our land borders for more than a year and still counting.”

“Our policy interventions should not leave the vulnerable masses behind. They do not deserve the indirect economic sanctions we have imposed on them.

“It is not impossible to put in place practical public health measures that protect all from the pandemic just as has been done for air travel.”

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Bernard Okoe-Boye, a medical doctor at the Ga East Municipal Hospital has given a medical or health justification in support of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill currently before Parliament.

The former Deputy Minister of Health also disclosed some health-related issues which he asserts are triggered by sexual acts between persons of the same sex.

The former lawmaker for Ledzokuku constituency explained that research indicates that homosexuals are more vulnerable to certain diseases due to the nature of their sexual intercourse.

Okoe-Boye, speaking on the October 14 edition of Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana show, stated that the first sign of the Human Immune Virus was discovered among homosexuals.

“HIV was discovered among same-sex individuals. The first group that started exhibiting very unusual symptoms that physicians saw was from same-sex partners. It was peculiar amongst them and that’s where the research started.

“One of the things that is also identifiable with such a group is mental and psychological illnesses. If you take 100 heterosexuals and 100 same-sex people, the studies show that, they (same-sex people) have serious psychological issues.null

“Anorectal cancers which is a disease that has got to do with the back of a man, it is very high amongst same sex relations and we know why. The more you try to access a place not meant for it, the more you open yourself for disease,” he said on Metro TV.

Bernard Okoe-Boye also gave a hypothesis of how homosexuality is a threat to human existence and could create a procreation crisis in the near future.

“Anytime science proves that there is danger ahead, laws are made to get people out of that danger. What makes a society is a family. Today, people are saying that it’s nothing because we assume 98% of the society is heterosexual so it’s normal. What if in 50 years’ time, the homosexuals become 98% percent and the heterosexuals 2%. It means the human race will go extinct,” he said.

In light of this, Bernard Okoe-Boye wants Parliament to pass the anti-LGBTQ+ bill to guard against these things.

He explained that with the country’s health sector not in the best of conditions, it is important that the state initiates measures against practices that could create crises in the future.null

Background Parliament is expected to discuss a Private Member’s Bill submitted by some eight MPs. The 38-page bill before parliament, among other things, stipulates that, people of the same sex who engage in sexual intercourse are “liable on summary conviction, to a fine of not less than seven hundred and fifty penalty units and not more than five thousand penalty units, or to a term of imprisonment of not less than three years and not more than five years or both.”

The Bill targets persons who “hold out as a lesbian, a gay, a transgender, a transsexual, a queer, a pansexual, an ally, a non-binary or any other sexual or gender identity that is contrary to the binary categories of male and female.”

The Bill also targets promoters and advocates of LGBTQ+ rights including, “a person who, by use of media, technological platform, technological account or any other means, produces, procures, markets, broadcasts, disseminates, publishes or distributes a material for purposes of promoting an activity prohibited under the Bill, or a person uses an electronic device, the Internet service, a film, or any other device capable of electronic storage or transmission to produce, procure, market, broadcast, disseminate, publishes or distribute a material for purposes of promoting an activity prohibited under the Bill” as well as a person who “promotes, supports sympathy for or a change of public opinion towards an act prohibited under the Bill.”

As part of its provisions, the Bill outlines that a flouter can be sentenced to a jail term of not less than six years or not more than ten years imprisonment. At the back of the public support the Bill has received, a group of academicians and other professionals have expressed their opposition to the bill.

According to the group of 18, the bill, ‘Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values 2021 Bill’, when passed into law, would erode a raft of fundamental human rights, as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Former President John Dramani Mahama has said he is not afraid to open his three accounts for a probe to prove his incorruptible nature.

This was in response to what he claims were the vile lies and propaganda peddled against him while in government.

Speaking on Cape 93.3 Fm in Cape Coast, the former leader dismissed claims of owning a Swiss bank account insisting he operates just three bank accounts domestically including ADB, Zenith, and Guarantee Trust bank.

“I don’t have any foreign account anywhere, I have three bank accounts – ADB, Zenith, and Guaranty Trust bank. If you want to investigate me, investigate those banks, my money is all there.”

He said the media has spared his opponent (President Akufo-Addo) and his government from criticisms in respect of corruption matters compared to what was seen under his government.

“You made so much noise, and now you’ve all gone quiet. You’ve all been cowed, you can’t talk. There were all kinds of propaganda against me. They said Lordina and I have stolen 100 million dollars into a Swiss Account. How would you get access to that kind of money? Worl Bank money doesn’t come to Finance Ministry. It’s with the BoG, how do I go to them to ask for such money and transfer it to a Swiss account?

He claimed under him, all the corruption-related matters were dealt with frontally, saying that same cannot be said under his opponent’s government who shielded public officials embroiled in corruption allegations.

“BOST, Agyapa, PDS, missing excavators, and galamsey fraud with smoking-gun evidence have all been swept under the carpet. I recently heard the President talking about the names given to him by Ghanaians and sadly, he forgot to add the name Clearing Agent,” Mr Mahama said.

Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has said the mere allegations against public officials did not amount to improper conduct because the affected persons must also be listened to for their explanation.

He contends he has not shirked from fighting against corruption and will not retreat in ensuring that people manning state anti-graft agencies acted in the interest of Ghanaians.

“I don’t think that any government has mobilized resources to give opportunity for the anti-corruption agencies of the state to function efficiently as possible as this government has done. It is a matter of record,” he said in an interaction with Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition

• Former President Mahama has shot down assertions by Jean Mensa touting the 2020 elections as well organized

• Jean Mensa addressing the ECOWAS Parliament recently described the 2020 elections as historic

• But contrary to her position, Mr Mahama says the election was marred by unprecedented irregularities

The 2020 presidential candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress, John Dramani Mahama, has described the recent general elections as the worst organized in the history of Ghana.

According to him, the 2020 elections recorded irregularities on a scale never experienced in Ghana before.

His comments come after the Chairperson of Ghana’s Electoral Commission, Jean Adukwei Mensa speaking to an ECOWAS Parliament session held at Winneba on Wednesday, October 13, described the 2020 elections as a “historic” one which has become a model for other democracies in the world.

Reacting to the EC Commissioners comments Mr Mahama said: “2020 was Ghana’s worst election. If I was marking her, I would have given her an F. She is marking her own paper after the examination so she can give herself any mark she likes.”

He added, “Tell me which election in Ghana was ballot papers printed yet one million ballot papers were found elsewhere… We didn’t witness this under Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan. She [Jean Mensa] knew there was ballot stuffing.”

Speaking on the election-related violence of the 2020 elections which resulted in the death of some eight persons, Madam Jean Mensa told the ECOWAS Parliament that the EC cannot be blamed for the unfortunate incident.

“Sadly, seven lives were lost and though this did not occur at our polling nor arise as misconduct on our part, one life lost is one too many. We are confident that our security agencies will share their investigations and recommendations for future learnings,” she said.

But, the former President Mahama questioned the circumstance leading to the record of deaths during the elections while insisting that it was wrong for the military to be deployed to polling stations on the election day.

“I have taken part in elections since 1992 as an MP. I haven’t seen a situation where soldiers were holding guns at collation centres. We normally have police, immigration officers etcetera there,” he added. “Eight people have died, which election did we have in Ghana that eight people perished?”

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Former President John Dramani Mahama has indicated that the claim by Electoral Commissioner Mrs. Jean Mensa that Ghana’s 2020 polls were the best in history is nothing but a joke.null

According to him, Mrs. Jean Mensa could not make such a claim when she refused to account for her stewardship during the 2020 presidential petition.

Mr. Mahama opined that as someone who claims that the elections organized were the best, she should have made herself available for questioning during the petition.

The EC Chairperson has indicated that the electoral body saved the nation up to $90 million after spending over $700 million in the 2020 polls.

She said the EC managed to reduce the cost of the elections through prudent management compared to the 2016 polls.

She explained that the EC reduced the cost of the elections from $13 per person in 2016 to $7.7 in 2020.null

She was speaking at the opening ceremony of the high-level parliamentary seminar on the theme “Two decades of democratic elections in ECOWAS member states: Achievements, challenges and the way forward”.

She further described the polls as historic, transparent in the face of the Covid-19 outbreak and price hikes.

“I humbly refer to Ghana’s 2020 elections as historic for the transparency, credibility, cost-effectiveness, high turnout, and peaceful conduct that characterized them. So orderly, so methodical, so calm were the polls on 7th December 2020 that BBC Africa could find no other way to describe our elections than ‘boring’.”

But former President John Dramani Mahama insisted that the polls were not as credible as the EC chair claimed.

“In 2012, Afari Gyan was questioned in the box about the general elections. But in 2020, it got to our turn, the EC Chair Mrs. Jean Mensa, refused. You claimed the 2020 polls were credible, and yet, you refused to testify. You claimed to have organized the best election in Ghana but come and account, you are running away. If you knew the elections were credible, you should have accounted for your work, he added.null

The 2020 presidential candidate also expressed worry over the decision of the Supreme Court to rule against his petition.

“The way the court presided over the matter was problematic. We filed for interrogatories, but the court refused. We witnessed how in 2012, the court granted Akufo-Addo his request for interrogatories, but when it got to our turn, we were refused by a unanimous decision,” he stated when he paid a courtesy call on the Divisional Chief of Prestea Himan, Nana Nteboah Prah.

On his part, the traditional leader took the opportunity to ask Mr. Mahama and his political party to be clear on their position on LGBTQI+ activities.

He said such activities should not be entertained in our communities.

Source: rainbowradioonline.com

With regard to concerns that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) appear to be mute over the anti-gay and lesbian bill before Parliament, the General Secretary of the ruling party, John Boadu, has stated categorically that homosexuality is not part of their ideology as a centre-right political party.

According to him, it is rather the Social Democrats which the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) subscribes to, that is known in the world to be the sole promoter of the activities of the LGBTQ+.

Arguing his case on Okay FM’s ‘Ade Akye Abia’ Morning Show, John Boadu noted that it is an undeniable fact that the social democrat groups condone homosexuality, and cited former US President Barack Obama and current President Joe Biden to buttress his point.

“NDC is a social democrat. Social democrat is known in the world to be a promoter of the LGBTQ+. Social Democrat groups accept homosexuality and we should not run away from it. I am telling you the truth. President Obama is a social democrat and he implemented that homosexuality law in the USA. And so if the NDC wants to run away from the stance of the social democrat, they should do so”.

“But the NPP is a centre-right political party and we don’t accept homosexuality at all and the law that was passed by President Obama. That is why President Akufo-Addo has said that homosexuality will not be accepted under his watch as a President; not in his time as President of Ghana will the activities of the LGBTQ+ be accepted or legalised in the country,” he advanced.

He reiterated that even though the NPP government will not condone and entertain what he described as “nonsense behaviour” [ie homosexuality], the anti-gay and lesbian bill that is before Parliament should be well defined and cover all aspects of homosexuality which are not captured in the constitution.null

” . . discussion of the anti-LGBTQ+ Bill should find a way to tighten the definition that is in the constitution that bans homosexuality already . . . the definition of homosexuality and the time the constitution was drafted did not cover transgender, hence, the need to tighten the existing law.

“Right now, the new additions to the homosexuality issue have to be really defined well so that the law will be adequate to cover all the possible unnatural carnal knowledge or intercourse some people are engaging in,” he stated.

He, therefore, argued that a certain aspect of the bill that criminalises parents for not reporting their children who practice homosexuality, should be looked at again in the course of the discussion of the bill, since most of these unnatural sexual behaviours are hidden from parents.

“If we don’t look at this and allow the bill to pass, do you know that it is possible for some parents not to be aware of their children engaging in any criminal activities in the country? How do I report such a case to the police? So if the child is arrested, will the police arrest the parents as well for a crime they know nothing about?” he quizzed.

Source: peacefmonline.com

The Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) says it will not withdraw its directive ordering public sector workers to acquire a national identification card by December 1, 2021, or forfeit their salaries.

There have been agitations by a section of government workers and unions since the Department issued the directive on Tuesday, October 12, 2021, with some asking the Controller and Accountant-General to reconsider the directive and withdraw it completely or have the deadline extended.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Thursday, Mr Cephas Narh Dosso, the Head of Public Relations at CADG, reaffirmed the Department’s directive, saying it was the best way to address challenges in the government’s payroll system.

He explained that Section 8(4) of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921), mandated the CAGD to, among other functions, receive, disburse and provide secured custody for public funds.

He said as a department that deals with about 500,000 government workers, it was necessary that it put in measures to ensure the integrity of the payroll at all times.

“We have a payroll that takes care of about 500,000 government employees nationwide. As a department, over the years, the CAGD has been instituting measures that will ensure that the integrity of the payroll is maintained at all times,” Mr Dosoo explained.

He rather urged the various public institutions and unions to educate their members to acquire the cards before the deadline.

Me Dosoo said: “We appreciate the concerns by our unions because they are our major stakeholders but, what we will say is that…we need to urge our colleague workers to avail themselves and go through the registration process. For now, the deadline is not today, and so the best thing to do is to avail ourselves.”

“When we get to the deadline we will review the data, and I am sure the right decisions will be taken by the right authorities,” he added.

The CAGD, in a statement issued on Tuesday, October 12, 2021, warned that government workers without Ghana Cards would not be paid from December 1, 2021.

The move, it said, formed part of the Government’s efforts to deliver a speedy, secured, and verified payroll service to employees and pensioners while reducing the risk of undeserving payments or claims.

The National Identification Authority, early this month, disclosed that more than 15 million citizens had registered for the Ghana Card.

However, out of the number, only 12 million had been issued with their cards. The NIA added that provisions were being made for the three million Ghanaians yet to receive their cards to get them.

Source: GNA

John Mahama

Former President John Mahama is yet to overcome the defeat handed down to him 10 months after the 2020 presidential elections as he keeps churning out ridiculous excuses for his two embarrassing defeats in a row.

After blaming his polling agents for doing a shoddy job as exhibited during the election petition at the Supreme Court, Mr Mahama is now turning gun on the Electoral Commission (EC) for stealing the votes for the NPP’s Nana Addo dankwa Akufo-Addo.

John Mahama is accusing the Electoral Commission of thumb-printing more than one million extra ballot papers in favour of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.

According to the 2020 presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), “over one million extra ballot papers were printed, which the EC claimed happened by mistake but on the day of the elections, some of the more than one million extra ballot papers had already been secretly thumb-printed in favor of the NPP.”

The Chairperson of the EC, Jean Mensa speaking at the 2021 ECOWAS Parliamentary Seminar in Winneba in the Central Region on Wednesday, described the 2020 general elections as historic, credible, and cost-effective.

Mrs. Mensa explained that the comparative cost of the election was reduced by 41% which is equivalent to $90 million.

She stated that the 2020 elections were a historic one for the transparency, credibility, cost-effectiveness, high turnout, and peaceful conduct that characterized it.

But Mr. Mahama addressing the Divisional Chief of Prestea Himan, Nana Nteboah Prah, recently, as part of his Thank You tour of the Western Region, disagreed with the EC and said over one million ballot papers were thumb-printed in favour of the NPP.

Mr. Mahama claimed “And, so, all these things dented the credibility of the polls and caused an embarrassment,” added that “I heard her [Jean Mensa] say ‘it’s the best election Ghana has ever had and yet you run away from scrutiny at the Supreme Court. So, how do you boast that it’s the best election ever

An 18-year-old taxi driver who found and returned huge money to a businesswoman has cried for “maximum protection” because some people are threatening him for the gesture, while others mock him, saying he “will live and die poor”.

According to the BBC, Emmanuel Tuloe, 18, a Liberian returned $50,000 (£37,000) after hearing the owner, Musu Yancy, appealing to the radio.

However, some people thought the young man from Gbolor Dialla on the border with Ivory Coast committed an irredeemable mistake for returning the life-changing money to the owner.

His plight gets worse when his friends see his car break down on the road. They tell him that if he had not returned the huge money to Musu Yancy he would not continue driving a rickety car.

“They tell me I will never get rich in my lifetime, they say because I returned such an amount of money I will live and die poor,” Emmanuel Tuloe told the BBC.

He had given the money wrapped in a plastic bag to his aunt for safekeeping, only to hear the owner making a passionate appeal to whoever may have found it to return it.

Reports say the businesswoman rewarded Tuloe with money and other items including a mattress that he intends to give to his grandmother.

However, his friends and other people in his community don’t think the reward is worth the exceptional honesty he displayed.

He recounted how he was threatened while attending a celebration party at Ms Yancy’s house and he had to return home quickly for his safety.

“I left and returned home because in the crowd were also people who were angry with me for returning the money, they even threatened me, and so right now I need maximum protection.”

Meanwhile, the Liberian Anti-Corruption Commission expressed admiration for Tuloe’s action saying it is “deeply touched by the sincerity of the teenager”.

A few friends have also given him thumbs up and urged him to remain honest and sincere.

• Allotey Jacobs believes the STC has the potential to stop accidents on the Accra-Cape Coast highway

• The former NDC executive has bemoaned the spate of accidents recorded on the road

• The Cape Coast road has over the years witnessed several accidents leading to various numbers of deaths

Former Central Regional Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Allotey Jacobs, has lamented the spate of accidents recorded on the Accra-Cape Coast highway.

According to the former Regional Chairman, the road owing the carelessness of some drivers has become what he says is the “devil’s triangle” costing dozens of lives each year.

However, in his view, the best opportunity to deal with accidents on the Accra-Cape Coast highway lies in the state transport company, State Transport Corporation (STC).

He thus urged STC to ensure their operations are expanded to increase the number of trips to and from Cape Coast.

“There should be Cape Coast trips for mornings, evenings, and afternoons because the Cape Coast-Accra road has become the devil’s triangle and the only transport company that can save us is the STC,” he said.

Meanwhile, the STC is set to open a new terminal at Pedu Junction opposite the University of Cape Coast.

The terminal according to the Managing Director of the STC, Nana Akomea would be the prettiest and the most exciting STC terminal.

Nana Akomea who was appointed Managing Director by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has engineered a lot of progress for the state-owned company.

Watch video below:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/yGehOEtQ8mU?list=TLPQMTQxMDIwMjHldCoZQFLx6Q

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Henry Quartey

THE GREATER Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey has proposed the suspension of recalcitrant members of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) whose actions impact negatively on the party’s overall fortunes and ambitions.××

According to him, there was the need to instill discipline at all levels to help protect the integrity and consolidate the gains of the party.

He made this proposal while delivering a message during the party’s Greater Accra Regional Delegates’ Conference which is currently ongoing at the Teachers’ Hall in Accra.

The Regional Minister in his remarks lamented the abuse of social media by some members of the party who use it to among others, verbally abuse leaders and elders of the party.

“Social media has become a platform for us to insult leaders of the party. We wash our dirty linen on social media and when people are cautioned, they will tell you, ‘the party belongs to all of us.’

“There must be discipline in the party. If people misbehave, suspend them”, he suggested.

He also charged party supporters to be mindful of their utterances, especially on social media as they would have a far-reaching impact on the party.

“Mind your language! We’re already in power and therefore any inaction or misbehaviour of ours, will hurt our chances of retaining that power come 2024.”

Mr. Quartey, who also doubles as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ayawaso Central constituency, admonished party supporters to be united while eschewing all forms of vices such as backbiting, gossiping and treachery in order not to repeat the 2020 incident where the party lost seven parliamentary seats in the Greater Accra Region alone.

“We sit here and say ‘break the 8’ and you’re holding meeting among yourselves to bring someone down. My duty when I was elected as Greater Accra Regional Minister was to ensure that I unite the party from the grassroots. Now are speculations that I’m becoming too powerful in the region. I am only trying to work with all of us to ensure that the party is strong at the base”, he intimated.

He asked all and sundry to let go of the past and unite to collectively break the 8, saying, “we shall continue to do our work and God will continue to be with us.”

“Let us work hard to retain power in 2024 so that in 2015, a new president will be sworn from the NPP

The General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr John Boadu, says the government’s ban on illegal mining activities affected the party in the Western Region during the 2020 election but stressed that the ban was for the good of the nation.

He said the NPP had majority parliamentary seats in the Western Region but after the 2020 election lost many, adding that, “Prestea Huni-Valley constituency was one of them and even in Tarkwa-Nsuaem constituency we nearly lost that seat.”

Mr Boadu said, “I am so gratified it caused us in the just-ended election but it was to protect our forest reserves, including water bodies from individuals who illegally tampered with it”.

The General Secretary disclosed this to the media during the Western Regional NPP annual delegates conference held at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa.

It was on the theme: “Consolidating our gains of 2020 election, the role of stakeholders.”

“We cannot sit down unconcern and watch few people destroy the country because of politics without taking any action. President Akufo-Addo took a bold decision and we supported him,” he said.

“In as much as we try to protect the environment, we would also provide alternative livelihood for people who have been displaced as a result of government decision to halt illegal mining in this region”

Mr Boadu said, “Currently if one gets a concession, the government would provide the needed machines and equipment that are environmentally friendly to these miners to enable them to go about their duties.”

“As we speak now, we have even procured 200 processing machines to be given to these miners to help them practise safe mining,” he announced.

He emphasized that the government would resolve this issue once and for all to ensure the safety of every citizen and the generations unborn.

Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, the Western Regional Minister, said the government would do more to transform the Region and assured residents to be patient.

He appealed to NPP supporters to protect the interest of the party to enable them to win the 2024 polls.

Mr Joe Ghartey, MP for Essikado-Ketan constituency, on behalf of the Western Regional NPP Parliamentary Caucus, charged the youth to be decorous in their behaviour and urged them to propagate the good work of the party.

“We cannot afford to leave Parliament because both sides in the house have 137 seats. We will, therefore, depend on the MMDCE’s and constituency executives to hold forth while we are away,” he added.

Mr Kojo Acquah, Municipal Chief Executive of Effia-Kwasimitim, who spoke on behalf of all MMDCE’s, said they would work tirelessly to ensure NPP break the eight years governance cycle in Ghana.

The NPP Western Regional Chairman, Mr Francis Ndede Siah, commended the NDC for cooperating in the confirmation of the five MMDCE’s and implored them to do the same for the remaining nominees.

Source: GNA

Philip Fiifi Buckman, lawyer for Josephine Panyin Mensah, the Takoradi woman accused of faking her kidnapping and pregnancy, says the police prosecution team is yet to furnish his client with all intended prosecution documents.

Speaking to Citi News after the Presiding Judge for the Takoradi Habour Circuit A, His Honour Michael Cudjoe Ampadu adjourned the case to November 11, 2021, Mr. Buckman said they were in court for case management but could not proceed because the prosecutor failed to furnish the court and the defense team with all the necessary documents.

“We came to court today [October 14, 2021] for the prosecution to provide us with their documents which they intend to rely on for the trial. The law is that they have to disclose everything they intend to use for prosecution, including their witnesses, witness statements, and their evidence.”

“After that, we were to decide on a date for Case Management Conference, which we could have done today. Unfortunately, there were some documents which the prosecution needed to add, and the substantive prosecutor couldn’t also attend court today. So we have to send all the documents back to him to look through and when we come on the next adjourned date, we will do the Case Management, thus, if they serve us before we come to court. If they do not serve us before we come to court but serve us on that day, then we have to take another date for the case management. This is because we need to go through the documents to see that everything is in order,“ he said.

Josephine Panyin Mensah is currently on bail after she was charged with deceiving public officers contrary to section 251 (B) of the Criminal Offences Act and Publication of false news with intent to cause fear and panic contrary to section 208 (1) of the Criminal Offences Act.

She was at the court today in the company of her husband, Michael Simmons and the mother, Agnes Essel.

source: citinews

The Ho District Magistrate Court has sentenced 21-year-old Frank Fenuku Junior to 18 months imprisonment for defrauding by false pretence.

Thus, the accused defrauded members of the public through a fake police recruitment portal on Facebook.××

Prosecuting the case, Chief Inspector Clever Ayayee told the Court presided over by His Honour Mr. Akosah Amoampong Agyiri Yaw that on September 3, 2021, Police picked a fraudulent Facebook publication purporting to be making recruitment into the Police Service.

The said Facebook publication which contained the photograph and name of the Volta Regional Police Commander, DCOP/Mr. Edward Oduro Kwateng, misled the public to believe that it was created by the said officer.

It further misled the public to believe that the said officer created the page to assist interested applicants to be enlisted into the Ghana Police Service through a protocol allocation in the recent police recruitment advertisement.

Unsuspecting applicants fell victim to the fraud and sent money through a  mobile money account that belonged to the accused.

This prompted an investigation into the false publication leading to the arrest of three suspects.

Further investigation led to the arrest of Frank Fenuku Junior who is believed to have been the brain behind the scam.

He was then arrested at Madina Zongo Juction in Accra.

Upon searching his hideout, Police retrieved SIM cards with numbers that were displayed in the fraudulent Facebook post.

The accused pleaded guilty to the offence of defrauding by false pretence and was convicted to 18 months on his own plea.

Pronouncing the sentence, His Honour Mr. Akosah Amoampong Agyiri Yaw considered his age and the fact that he was a first-time offender and convicted him to 18 months imprisonment to deter other young people from emulating the act

The Ghana Police Service has introduced shuttle services for its personnel across the country.

The move is to facilitate the movement of personnel from their residence to their duty points.

The program which has been implemented in fifteen (15) out of the eighteen (18) Police Operational Regions is intended to ease the burden of commute on officers, as well as to ensure that personnel who carry weapons for duty, do so under safe conditions.

The Police Administration has, therefore, deployed buses on designated routes with pick-up and drop-off points to ensure the safe and easy transportation of personnel, especially during the rush hour when movement along the roads is usually a struggle.

The Administration acknowledges that some members of the general public had expressed concern about the practice of police personnel boarding commercial vehicles with weapons and the possible danger posed to other occupants of these vehicles.

The spectacle of uniformed officers struggling to get on board vehicles during the rush hour is not good for morale in the service and does not inspire public confidence in the police.

The Administration is certain the shuttle service will reduce these concerns and ensure that both the police officers and the commuting public go about their duties in safety and dignity.

It is also expected to give some respite to officers and further boost their morale for enhanced performance.

Labour unions in Ghana say they were not consulted in the decision by the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) to stop the salary payment of government workers if they do not possess a Ghana card by December 1.

The unions say even though the motive is good one, the timing is wrong since Accra and Kumasi are not the only cities that constitute Ghana.

They are therefore warning the Controller and Accountant General’s Department to halt such threats if it wants peace in this country.

The labour unions are not pleased with the directive by the Controller and Accountant General’s Department to stop the salary payment of government workers if they do not possess a Ghana card.

The Deputy Secretary-General of Trades Union Congress (TUC), Joshua Ansah, in an interview on 3FM’s Sunrise on Thursday said “it is very very unfortunate that the controller will sit and make such decision.

“The laws governing salaries must be respected and TUC says no no to it and we are calling the Controller to do the needful”, he told Sunrise Host, Alfred Ocansey on Thursday.

Mr. Ansah explained that “doing the needful means that all the stakeholders must be brought on board to decide on the issue because Accra and Kumasi is not only Ghana. We have remote areas”.

“I don’t want to believe it. They must do the needful by calling on the labour unions and talk about it because it is a good thing but wrong approach”.

The TUC Deputy scribe noted that “it must include all those who sit to deliberate on conditions of service but we were not consulted before the notice was put out”.

Mr. Ansah said the way forward for this is to put on hold the directives and call all the unions and deliberate on the issue.

“They don’t have to do anything that will mare the peace of this country. It is a god thing but the timing is wrong

Procedurally, they did not respect labour, either wise they are not going to do anything at the end of December.

Mr. Ansah urged workers not to sit but make the effort to register for the Ghana Card since it will definitely be used.

“Our workers must also do the registration”.

Deputy General Secretary of Federation of Labour Unions, Ken Koomson, also added that “the notice is just provocative. Salaries constitute a significant and important part of our conditions of service so employers must be very careful when dealing with salaries”.

He said “the rationale is purging the system of ghost names which is good but we were also not consulted”.

“This is an indictment on Ghanaians workers. It is unacceptable

THE GHANA Navy has foiled attempted pirate attack on a fishing vessel on the country’s territorial waters off South Aflao in the Volta Region.

The tuna vessel, christened AFKO 80 was operating 105 nautical miles south of Aflao when the attack occurred on Monday October 11, 2021 at about 2am.

Ghana Armed Forces Acting Director of Public Relations, Commander Andy La-Anyane, said in a statement issued Wednesday October 13, 2021 and copied DGN Online, that they successfully warded off pirates onboard two speed boats who suspiciously approached a Tuna vessel.

According to him, the operation was carried out without any casualty to the vessel and its crew as the vessel continues to be engaged in its lawful fishing activities.

Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Issah Yakubu, recently stated that ransom negotiations had become the norm as kidnapping had become an attractive cooperative venture for pirates.

According to him, pirates often demanded nearly $50,000 minimum in ransom per crew member kidnapped.

He added that this was affecting Ghana’s fishing industry which recorded two separate attacks in June and August 2020, with two Koreans presently being held captive in the Niger Delta as the Korean Embassy in Ghana continued to negotiate for their release.

The Ghana Navy in recent times has doubled its patrols at sea to curb the numerous piracy attacks in the Gulf of Guinea making the country’s waters one of the safest in the Region.
“The Ghana Navy in recent times doubled its patrols at sea to curb the numerous piracy attacks in the Gulf of Guinea making our Exclusive Economic Zone one of the safest in the Region,” he assured.

The piracy situation in the Gulf of Guinea has created a sense of insecurity in the Region.

In Ghana, the Navy has strived to maintain adequate security at sea to enable a conducive maritime environment for national development. Fishing vessels have often fallen prey to pirates within the Region.

Meanwhile, the Chief of the Naval Staff recently visited his counterparts in Nigeria, Benin and Togo as a way of seeking their cooperation to combat the regional menace.

Additionally, the Ghana Navy in its quest to curb this menace, decided to deploy armed naval personnel onboard fishing vessels in consultation with stakeholders in the industry all aimed at ensuring a safe and secured maritime environment for the smooth operations of fishing and commercial vessels.

The Ghana Navy, however, assures all vessels and their operators within the country’s maritime domain of the eagerness to protect all those engaged in legal businesses and also accost all those engaged in illegalities.

The Navy therefore seeks the cooperation of all partners to enable the nation to achieve a safe maritime environment for national development

A member of the Coalition of Lawyers, Academics and other Professionals calling for Parliament to scrap the Anti-LGBTQI+ Bill, Akoto Ampaw, says the Coalition does not support same-sex marriage.

According to Mr Ampaw, the group rather abhors the violation of human rights.

“Let’s be clear, we are not advocating as a group for same-sex marriage. Many of the people who seek to rouse public discontent against us are saying that we are promoting same-sex marriage. If you read our Memorandum, we do not say anywhere that we support same-sex marriage. We do not support any violation of their rights because they are human beings.”

The bill, titled “The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021”, prescribes severe sanctions against various activities of the LGBT+ community.

But speaking on the GTV’s Breakfast Show, Lawyer Akoto Ampaw said the Bill is in direct conflict with a number of constitutionally protected fundamental freedoms and human rights.

“Every person, not even every Ghanaian citizen, is entitled to the enjoyment of the fundamental human rights guaranteed under the Constitution. And our position as a group is not that there are no limitations to those rights. Almost all the rights under the Constitution have limitations but the limitations raise a very high bar, you must be able to demonstrate that the restriction is necessary first, and secondly, the limitation is reasonable.”null

“The case is being made that the overwhelming majority of Ghanaians do not like gays and therefore there should be a law against them. We are treading a very slippery road because if the view of Ghanaians is that anything that the overwhelming majority do not like should be criminalised, then it means the Constitution has no place,” he said on Wednesday, October 13, 2021.

“It means today that a small minority like the LGBTQ group has been targeted and their existence criminalised, tomorrow, God forbid, it could be some small religious group that people don’t like, they will criminalise them contrary to the constitution. The next day it will be other Minorities in the society and this was what happened under Adolf Hitler.’’

He disclosed that democracy evolves both the Majority rule and the protection of the Minority.

“97% should not be used as a basis for passing a law for 3% of the population. You do not simply say that because you are in the democratic society, everything that the majority says, even if it violates the interest of the minority, it should go.’’

He urged Christian organisations to be tolerant and not promote hate.

Source: gbcghanaonline.com

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has applauded the ECOWAS parliament for the theme it chose for its high level regional parliamentary seminar in Ghana.

Mr Akufo-Addo addressed the forum on Wednesday, 13th October 2021.

He wrote on his Facebook page after the address that “I addressed the ECOWAS High-Level Regional Parliamentary Seminar, on the theme ‘Two Decades of Democratic Elections in ECOWAS Member States: Achievements, Challenges and the Way Forward’, held in Winneba in the Central Region.

“I applauded the ECOWAS Parliament for the theme of this seminar, the relevance of which is evident in the light of recent happenings in the ECOWAS Community, especially in Guinea and Mali.

“By choosing to address this topic at this time, ECOWAS’s Parliament has demonstrated vision, courage, and the spirit to search for solutions aimed at consolidating the democratic growth of the Region, and help realise the dreams and aspirations of the peoples of the Community for a democratic future.

”Source: 3news.com

Former president and 2020 flag bearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama has revealed that every Ghanaian would have to cough out up to GHC11,000 if the public debt stock accrued under President Akufo-Addo’s government is shared per head.null

“When I was the president, a relative of Akufo-Addo said if Ghana’s public debt was to be shared equally, every Ghanaian would have paid GHC 4,700; now under the governance of his own family member, every Ghanaian practically owes GHC 11,000 if our debts was to be shared per head,” he has indicated.

Speaking with party faithful as part of his THANK YOU TOUR of the Eastern region, he said the country’s economic fundamentals have fallen apart under the current dispensation, accounting for untold hardships on citizens.

He told the gathering that the solutions to all of Ghana’s problems were captured in the 2020 Manifesto of the NDC which was rejected by Ghanaians at the polls.

Mr. John Dramani Mahama maintained that the NDC is the only political party blessed with the managerial acumen to steer Ghana out of its current economic woes which have seen the local currency on a downward spiral against major foreign currencies like the dollar.

He also mentioned that the state of insecurity in the country is becoming alarming, in that Ghanaians have had to sleep with one eye wide opened for fear of being attacked by robbers at night.

Source: mynewsgh.com

Social commentator, Bernard Allotey Jacobs has expressed fury over the LGBTQ+ community fighting for the legalization of their activities in Ghana.

There is currently anti-LGBTQ+ bill proposed by Ningo-Prampram MP, Sam George, before Parliament to outlaw homosexual activities and ensure any person who publicly identifies himself or herself as a member of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer (LGBTQ+) faces a jail sentence or fine.

But an elite group has stood against the passage of the bill arguing it is a violation of fundamental human rights, hence incurring the wrath of many Ghanaians.

Their position has been interpreted by some Ghanaians as either they promoting homosexual practices or are members of the LGBTQ+ community.

Contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM’s ”Kokrokoo”, Bernard Allotey Jacobs, being against gay activities, likened them to animals.

”You are an animal If you are gay”, he fumed.

To him, the push for legalization or acceptance of homosexual practices in Ghana is an agenda by the Western superpowers but strongly believed their agenda won’t materialize in Ghana.

”The whole thing is targeted on Africans, more on Africans. You can’t go and do that in Thailand. You can’t go and do that in Indonesia. Why Africa? Why? The birthplace of civilization! What has happened to us?”, he expressed his disgust.


https://www.youtube.com/embed/7J9xEZKHKWc

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana

Former President John Mahama has urged the government to complete the numerous development projects initiated by the NDC government which have been abandoned to rot in the bush in the Eastern region.

He has bemoaned the numerous social infrastructure and economic projects abandoned by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

He made this known during a courtesy call on the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs in Koforidua on Tuesday, October 12, 2021, as part of his Thank You tour.

He said “Nananom, there’s a very worrying development that I cannot avoid talking about and that is the issue of abandoned projects… Governments are enjoined to continue the projects began by their predecessors.”

He stated that “Unfortunately, it will appear that after 2016, the new government that came, has either advertently or inadvertently refused to work on many projects that the previous governments started and I can name so many of them: there are road projects, hospital projects, school projects…I know in my brother Kwawumanhene’s jurisdiction, the famous Abetifi Hospital is crying for continuation and completion.”

“If you go to other places, there are many of such hospitals that have been abandoned. I’m happy to note that the Somanya Hospital has been completed but then it needs to be operationalised as quickly as possible.”

According to him, the President is focusing more attention on cutting sod for his Agenda 111 hospital projects than paying attention to the completion of several hospital projects.

“If some have been finished, at least, let them start working while you bring in the extra 111 or if some were ongoing, complete them and add the 111 hospitals. Unfortunately, it looks like there’s more attention in cutting sod for the new 111 hospitals than there is for completing the hospitals that are already under construction and, so, these are things that I think we need to draw attention to,” he added.

Dr. Stephen Opuni with his lawyers

The Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, yesterday urged the Supreme Court to reverse what he described as ‘fundamentally flawed decision’ which removed Justice Clemence Honyenuga, a Supreme Court judge sitting as an additional High Court judge, from the trial of former Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr. Stephen Opuni.

Main Trial

Dr. Opuni, together with businessman Seidu Agongo and the businessman’s Agricult Ghana Limited are standing trial on 27 charges of causing financial loss to the state, defrauding by false pretences, conspiracy to commit crime, abetment of crime, money laundering, corruption by public officer and contravention of the PPA Act in their dealings with COCOBOD between 2013 and 2016.

Together, they are accused of causing a financial loss of over GH¢217 million to the state through the sale and purchase of the controversial Lithovit Liquid Fertiliser, which the prosecution says was never tested.

Restraining Order

Five Supreme Court judges before the 2021 legal vacation, in a 3-2 majority, ruled that their colleague Justice Honyenuga cannot continue to hear the case on stated grounds of bias as complained by Dr. Opuni.

The panel, chaired by Justice Jones Victor Dotse, then granted an application by Dr. Opuni which sought a certiorari to quash portions of Justice Honyenuga’s ruling on a submission of no case as well as prohibit him from further hearing the case.

The majority made up of Justices Gabriel Pwamang, Agnes Dordzie and Umoro Tanko Amadu, in their explanation held that the exhibits excluded by Justice Honyenuga at the main trial were admissible under sections 117, 118 and 126 of NRCD 323, and that their colleague purportedly excluded that piece of evidence in error.

The minority decision delivered by Justice Jones Dotse and supported by Justice Avril Lovelace-Johnson held that, “I have looked at the entire ruling in context and I am satisfied that, the learned trial judge stayed on course in his task of seeking to establish whether the prosecution has indeed established the key ingredients of the offences with which the applicant is facing before the trial court.”

Review Move

Not satisfied with the decision, the Attorney General (AG) filed an application for review urging the court to reverse its decision, arguing that the court had departed from settled principles.

At the hearing yesterday, all the five judges who heard Dr. Opuni’s application were present and per the rules two other Justices namely Prof. Nii Ashie Kotey and Gertrude Torkonu were added to the panel to decide the review application filed by the Attorney General.

Moving Application

Moving an application for review yesterday, the Attorney General argued that the decision by the ordinary bench to remove the trial judge “contained multiple fundamental flaws which occasioned miscarriage of justice.”

He said that the ruling sought to quash the High Court’s ruling on a submission of no case which it had jurisdiction to adjudicate, and there was no argument against that.

He said the only reason for the grant of Dr. Opuni’s application was the trial judge’s interpretation of the Evidence Act when he excluded certain exhibits and said if at all any error occurred in the exclusion of exhibits, it did not warrant the invocation of the supervisory powers of the Supreme Court.

He said the ruling by the ordinary bench will occasion irreparable damage to the Republic in the substantive trial if the ‘errors’ by the bench are not corrected.

Mr. Dame further argued that apart from the effects of the Supreme Court’s decision on the parties in the case, it has the tendency to open the door to the filling of similar applications by parties to shop for judges of their choice.

“Prohibiting a judge who has obeyed the judicial precedent of the Honourable Court strikes at the heart of the certainty of the law, with greater consequence on the administration of justice,” the Attorney General argued, and said that what Dr. Opuni has done can be interpreted to mean that he is deciding who should be the judge in his case.

He, therefore, urged the court to reverse the decision of the majority “as it contains errors that go against the administration of justice, not only in this case,” and added that “the refusal of this review permits lower courts to disregard without more, the binding precedents of Supreme Court Authority.”

Opuni Lawyer

Samuel Codjoe, counsel for Dr. Opuni, opposed the application by the AG saying that the application for review did not meet the threshold needed for the court to take a decision.

He insisted that the applicants were just rehashing the arguments made in the previous application which was granted.

He said the trial judge was clearly bias as he did not give the accused person the opportunity to open his case but instead predetermined and prejudged the case.

“He had made his mind and was going through the rituals while waiting to pronounce sentence,” Mr. Codjoe told the court.

He added that the majority was right in prohibiting the trial judge and prayed the court to uphold the decision.

The court will give its ruling on October 26

President Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo has narrated the tortous ordeal he went through when he lost two successive elections in 2008 and 2012.××

For him, it was but a painful ordeal he had to go through but had to endure in the larger interest of the country.

This was when he addressed high level parliamentary seminar of the ECOWAS Parliament under the theme ‘two decades of democratic elections in ECOWAS member states: achievements, challenges and the way forward’ in Winneba this morning.

He could not but admitted that “It is painful enough to lose an election. I can testify to that.”

He said “there will always be winners and losers in an election.”

That notwithstanding, he noted that “the pain should not come with a suspicion of having been cheated.”

Instead, he insisted that “the winner should be warmly congratulated and support extended to enable our many problems to be tackled.”

Then only he said will the winner have the peace of mind for the serious business of governance.

He therefore stressed the need for all stakeholders in the election process to work to ensure that there are no lingering questions about the legitimacy of an election.

That, he said was because “in the last 20 years, the world has come to acknowledge that elections in the ECOWAS community have been largely free, fair, and credible” with their outcomes generally being acclaimed and accepted.

The President thus noted that “it is vital we maintain this reputation and do not allow any manipulation of the electoral systems to achieve favourable outcomes.”

“The protection of the sanctity of the ballot box carries with it the subversion of good governance”,  he said, whilst insisting that “good governance should and must be imparitivelyexclude political maneuvers to maintain power beyond constitutional requirements.”

“Let us all be aware that beyond that the marriage between the elected and the electorate becomes forced, the environment becomes toxic and the mandate becomes precarious”, he emphasised.

It is for this reason he said the Authority of Heads of States and Government of the ECOWAS which he chairs has asked the Commission to take steps towards an urgent review of the ECOWAS protocol on democracy and good governance to take account of contemporary developments.

He has since associated himself with the call members of tge ECOWAS parliament to contribute to this process of review

The member of Parliament for the Asawase Constituency in the Ashanti Region, Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka, has warned the diplomatic community that no amount of intimidation and threats will stop the MPs from passing the anti-LGBTQ bill pending before the house.

Speaking on Kumasi-based Abusua 96.5 FM, the Minority Chief Whip said Parliament is aware of plans to deny lead advocates of the anti-LGBTQ bill travel visa by foreign embassies in the country.

He warned that he will lead a demonstration for the closure of any embassy that will deny Sam Nartey George and other members of Parliament travel visas because of their advocacy for LGBTQ+ activities in the country to be criminalized.

“It’s against the constitution of Ghana for any member of parliament to be punished for expressing his or her opinion on national issues in the House of parliament. So, therefore, no embassy can punish any MP in this country to kowtow to their wish,’’ the Asawase lawmaker warned.null

He said, President Nana Akufo Addo’s interview with Aljazeera where the president failed to declare his stance on LGBTQ+ sexual activities has emboldened the homosexual community to increase their advocacy projects in the country.

“With the greatest respect to our President, Nana Akufo-Addo, his statement on Aljazeera was unfortunate. If he was bold like President Mills and John Dramani Mahama by letting the world know that Ghana will never accept LGBTQ+ activities they wouldn’t be doing the unfortunate advocacies we are seeing in the country of late”.

But the Asawase lawmaker maintained the minority in parliament is determined to ensure the bill is passed to uphold Ghana’s traditional norms and moralities in the interest of the majority of Ghanaians.

Source: kasapafmonline.com

The 2020 Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress, John Dramani Mahama, has called on Ghana’s Electoral Commission to set up a neutral body to review the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections for reforms to enhance credibility and acceptability of future elections.

According to John Dramani Mahama, the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary election was one of the worst organized elections in the democratic history of Ghana.

“This is one of the worst ever elections we’ve had in Ghana. Because many things went wrong. Military invaded collation centres and forced Electoral officers to declare results. I have not witnessed any election that after printing ballot papers, another one million extra ballot papers are printed. So many things went wrong.”

Addressing separate meetings of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs and the Clergy in Koforidua as part of his thank-you tour to the Region on Tuesday, October 12, 2021, Mr Mahama called on the Chiefs and the Clergy to add their voices for a review of the 2020 elections for reforms.

“We have identified some of the loopholes that made it possible, some of the things that happened and we are taking steps to ensure these things do not happen again. And so as part of that you might have heard that we have made proposals for electoral reforms which we have presented to authorities.”

He added “It is our hope that the National House of Chiefs and Regional House of Chiefs will join voices with us so that we have an independent review of the proposals that have been brought. In most cases after an election, the electoral commission takes steps to set up a panel to look at some of the issues that went wrong and come out with proposals for making sure we correct them and we expect this electoral Commission must do same”.

According to him, a neutral body must be set up for the electoral reforms.

“They should get a neutral body, a person that we all respect to oversee the proposals that we all submitted and we can all come to a consensus that we need these changes to make our elections better. That is why we’ve engaged several Institutions, civil society Organizations, we’ve engaged traditional rulers, engaged religious leaders so that we all speak with one voice to allow that process to happen so that our elections can become better than what happened in the past,” Mahama said.

He also called on the Chiefs and clergy to mount pressure on the government to investigate the killing of eight (8) innocent people during the 2020 election and the perpetrators brought to book to avert impunity in future.

“We’ve held elections in this country over the years since 1992 till date and I’ve never seen an election in which eight of our compatriots get killed just because they are participating in the electoral process”

“The sad thing is that for the Ayawaso West Wuoguon, a Commission was set up and recommendations were made including payment of compensation to the victims. We also heard about the killing that took place at Ejura. In that case, too, a commission of inquiry was set up and it has come out with its findings which includes compensating the families of the injured people and those who died,” he said.

“Unfortunately, with those who died during the election, this government is unwilling to even investigate the cause of their death or to do anything in respect of compensating them.

”Source: starrfm.com.gh

General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has called on chiefs to avoid participating in partisan politics as it can bring instability.

He said traditional rulers must stay on the path of pouring libation, independence and peacebuilding.

“Stay on the path of independence, peacebuilding, and to continue to pray and pour libation for us. Advise every politician and if Nananom [traditional rulers] indicate that violence is abhorred, that advice will go to all politicians in the country,” Myjoyonline.com quoted him.

Speaking during a courtesy call on the Eastern Regional House of Chief at Atekyem on Tuesday as part of John Mahama’s ‘Thank You’ tour the General Secretary of the party said the participation of chiefs in politics was removed in 1992, it is, therefore, dangerous for chiefs to involve in such activities.

“We removed the clauses that allow chiefs to participate in our type of politics. It is through partisan politics that government leaders are elected.

“So if we allowed the chiefs to participate, some may find themselves at the right side of the government in power and others will find themselves on the wrong side of the government in power,” Asiedu Nketia added

The General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party(NPP) says the activities of the LGBTQ community in Ghana will not be accepted.
 
John Boadu was emphatic in an interview with NEAT FM’s morning show, ‘Ghana Montie’ that no member of his party will support same-sex marriage in the country.
 
“Let me make this short for you, no NPP member is in support of man-to-man marriage or any activities of the LGBTQ+ community,” he told host Kwesi Aboagye.

Listen to the interview below

https://www.youtube.com/embed/AXb_laEWqMo 

Source: King Edward Ambrose Washman Addo/peacefmonline.com/ghana

The Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta has charged the Board of the Minerals Incomes and Investment Funds (MIIF) to address all concerns raised by various stakeholders about the Agyapa Royalty Deal before it goes back to Parliament.

Mr. Ofori Atta who considers the deal as the best for the country said all the necessary consultations will be done before it is submitted to the House.

The Agyapa Royalty deal was proposed by the government last year to raise funds through minerals royalties for key infrastructure projects, but could not be passed after stakeholders rejected the deal.

While inaugurating the nine-member board of the Mineral Income Investment Fund in Accra on Tuesday, October 12, 2021, Mr. Ofori Atta said: “You must continue with the work that has been done following the theme of the budget ‘Continuity, Consolidation and Completion’ and address and overcome all the concerns against the Agyapa transaction, so we can go to the market and create the first mineral royalty company in Ghana and in Africa because it is good for Ghana.”https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-6359669600040540&output=html&h=343&adk=2673199636&adf=4266349633&pi=t.aa~a.23905774~i.7~rp.4&w=412&lmt=1634152114&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=1135190008&tp=site_kit&psa=1&ad_type=text_image&format=412×343&url=https%3A%2F%2Fkessbenonline.com%2F2021%2F10%2F13%2Fagyapa-deal-is-good-for-ghana-address-concerns-raised-against-it-ofori-atta-to-miif-board%2F&flash=0&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=317&rw=380&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&dt=1634152114333&bpp=20&bdt=4664&idt=-M&shv=r20211011&mjsv=m202110080101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D1e549522e6f00f59-22d5192582cc006c%3AT%3D1634137241%3ART%3D1634137241%3AS%3DALNI_MZsiAIa5qT53z2eKZKW1vk-S6Yx3A&prev_fmts=0x0&nras=2&correlator=263512040193&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=905343554.1634137237&ga_sid=1634152113&ga_hid=1776199131&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&adx=0&ady=1940&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=0&eid=31062369%2C31063102%2C31060475&oid=2&pvsid=2683996607647774&pem=833&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C412%2C0%2C412%2C797%2C412%2C797&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=128&bc=31&ifi=2&uci=a!2&btvi=1&fsb=1&xpc=sf10HS5qU3&p=https%3A//kessbenonline.com&dtd=216

“The Attorney General has looked at it. We had a few stakeholder meetings, and I think the new board should be energised to review that and go through the parliamentary process. I’m unequivocal that it is the way to go in terms of monetising our minerals and finding a way to leverage mining,” he added.

About Agyapa deal

In 2018, Parliament passed the Minerals Income Investment Fund Act 2018, which establishes the Fund to manage the equity interests of Ghana in mining companies and receive royalties on behalf of the government.

The purpose of the Fund was to manage and invest these royalties and revenue from equities for higher returns for the country’s benefit.

In exchange, the company planned to raise between US$500 million and roughly $1 billion for the government on the Ghana and London Stock Exchanges to invest in development projects.

However, the deal became a subject of hot debate after the opposition National Democratic Congress and some stakeholders kicked against it.

The woes of the deal were subsequently compounded by a 64-paged corruption risk analysis report released against the deal by the then Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu.

The government subsequently suspended the deal.

source: citinews

Commercial activities at the newly built Kejetia Market have come to a standstill as traders have been plunged into darkness and intense heat.

This was after the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) Wednesday, October 13 cut power supply to the facility following accumulated debts.

Akoma FM‘s checks at the facility reveal the traders have not been paying electricity bills for over five months, a situation that has forced ECG officials to cut the power and withdraw services to the traders.

The situation at the market, which houses over 800,000 traders within the central business district, has been dire and unbearable.

General Secretary for the Traders Reuben Amey describes the abrupt power cut as unfortunate.

“At about 11:30 Wednesday morning, we just realized our lights are out only to realize that the ECG officials have cut the power because we owe them.”

The traders have already been complaining about exorbitant electricity bills they are faced with.

They also lamented over 7,000 lockable shops at the facility are connected to only one meter.

The single-face meter, since the commissioning of the market, has met intense opposition from traders.

Investigations at the market reveal the last time management brought up the matter of electricity bill was in April and the debt hovered arou

The Cape Coast Circuit Court One presided over by Her Honour Dorinda Smith Arthur, has granted a GHS30,000 bail with two sureties to Mr Kwesi Dawood, the suspended Communications Officer of the Central Regional arm of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in an alleged case of incest.

Mr Dawood was charged with abetment of crime – to wit, illegal abortion.

He is to reappear in court on 27 October 2021.

The prosecutor, ASP Daniel Gadzo Mensah told the court that Mr Dawood, who is the biological father of the victim, allegedly impregnated her through an incestuous affair.

The accused person, according to the prosecutor, then conspired with a medical doctor, to perform an illegal abortion on the victim.

The girl then confided in her mother and proceeded to lodge a complaint with the Swedru District police.

The case was later transferred to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) in Cape Coast.

Mr Dawood has pleaded not guilty.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-4549410436183225&output=html&h=250&slotname=4705176708&adk=1921530005&adf=520316108&pi=t.ma~as.4705176708&w=300&lmt=1634151717&psa=0&format=300×250&url=https%3A%2F%2Fmobile.classfmonline.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2FC-R-NDC-incest-saga-Court-grants-Kwesi-Dawood-GHS30-000-bail-27751&flash=0&wgl=1&dt=1634151715865&bpp=4&bdt=3032&idt=1454&shv=r20211011&mjsv=m202110080101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&prev_fmts=0x0%2C300x250%2C300x250&nras=1&correlator=921831232020&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=181577119.1634151717&ga_sid=1634151717&ga_hid=1653259984&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&adx=56&ady=1929&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=1647&eid=44750344%2C31062944%2C31063102%2C31060475&oid=2&pvsid=2430991890160646&pem=485&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1920&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C412%2C0%2C412%2C797%2C412%2C797&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7CEe%7C&abl=CS&pfx=0&fu=0&bc=31&ifi=4&uci=a!4&fsb=1&xpc=x0NP9BWA8f&p=https%3A//mobile.classfmonline.com&dtd=1471

When the news broke, he issued a statement denying the allegations levelled against him.

In a statement, Mr Dawood said: “I wish to state unequivocally that the said publication is a false and malicious fabrication”.

He also hinted at filing a defamation suit against the newspaper.

Read Mr Dawood’s full statement below:

RE: NDC GURU IMPREGNATES DAUGHTER – CAUSES ABORTION

11th October 2021

I have taken notice of a publication by the Daily Guide newspaper of 11th October 2021 alleging that I have impregnated my daughter and made her abort the pregnancy.

I wish to state unequivocally that the said publication is a false and malicious fabrication.

While I work with my lawyers to prove my innocence through the justice system and pursue a defamation action against the Daily Guide newspaper, I would like to appeal to the general public to treat the said publication and the allegations thereof with the contempt it deserves.

To all comrades, friends and family who have reached out to show concern, I am grateful for your encouragement and support.

The truth cannot be buried forever; it will spring forth like a seed in the fullness of time.

Signed, Ɔwɛnfoba Kwesi Dawood

#NyameTseAse

Ghanaian actor Mr Beautiful has asked the government of Ghana to allow the LGBTQ+ community to enjoy rights in the country.

The LGBTQ+ discussion is back on top trends after Member of Parliament Sam George clashed with a CNN presenter on live TV last week to argue the anti- LGBTQ+ bill proposed by some parliamentarians.

Even though the majority of Ghanaians support the bill, some Ghanaians are divided over it.

Adding his voice to the conversation, Mr Beautiful – known in private life Clement Bonney – has said gays should be allowed their rights in the country and that when the consequences of being gay come, they will face it alone.

“I’m not gay and don’t know anyone who’s gay, I haven’t made up my mind to be gay,” he told blogger Sammy K this week during an interview. “If someone decides to sleep with a fellow man and be happy, that’s fine – it’s their choice.”

He said ignoring the ‘natural way’ of having sexual affair is a choice and that if it makes gay people happy, so be it.

“For me, I believe that God created a nice hole [vagina] for us to enjoy, but if someone chooses to sleep with a man, and that will make them happy, it’s their choice. That’s their right. If they want their rights, give it to them. And then when the consequences are coming, they will face it.”

When asked LGBTQ+ should be legalised in Ghana, he was quick to say: “I never mentioned legalisation.”

On Monday, fellow actor Prince David Osei endorsed the LGBTQ+ bill, saying: “In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve, not Steve and Steve!! No one is denying one’s humanity if you Gay. But we are not supposed to pretend that men are women and women are men. We won’t modify basic biology because it threatens ones subjective sense of being Gay.”

He added: “For all of human history boy met girl, girl met boy! You can’t magically change your gender, you can’t magically change your age, you can’t magically change your sex, Ben Shapiro.”

The Chairperson for Ghana’s Electoral Commission, Mrs Jean Adukwei Mensah, has rejected blame for the 2020 election-related violence that claimed eight lives.

This is the first time the EC Chairperson has publicly acknowledged the death of some eight Ghanaians during the elections.

Speaking to members of the ECOWAS Parliament at Winneba on Wednesday, Jean Mensa said none of the violence that led to the deaths occurred at any of the EC’s polling stations.

“Sadly seven lives were lost and though this did not occur at our polling nor arise at as misconduct on our part, one life lost is one too many. We are confident that our security agencies will share their investigations and recommendations for future learnings,” Jean Mensa told members of the ECOWAS Parliament.

Jean Mensa also touted the success of the 2020 elections to the ECOWAS parliament.

According to her, the elections last year were so successful that the BBC described it as boring. Addressing the high-level seminar of ECOWAS parliament in Winneba, the EC Chair stated, the recently released census results vindicate the number captured during the compilation of the new voters’ register.

“Indeed, our elections of 2020 were solely financed by the government of Ghana. I am happy to note, that this reduced the cost of our election by 41% compared to 2016 notwithstanding inflation and price highs and the fact that we incurred additional cost owing to the COVID-19 protocols we deployed throughout the election.https://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/ads?client=ca-pub-8731784857660975&output=html&h=343&adk=2581141068&adf=4144783102&pi=t.aa~a.86673156~i.17~rp.4&w=412&lmt=1634131905&num_ads=1&rafmt=1&armr=3&sem=mc&pwprc=7938084553&tp=site_kit&psa=0&ad_type=text_image&format=412×343&url=https%3A%2F%2Fstarrfm.com.gh%2F2021%2F10%2Fec-not-responsible-for-2020-election-related-deaths-jean-mensa%2F&flash=0&fwr=1&pra=3&rh=310&rw=372&rpe=1&resp_fmts=3&sfro=1&wgl=1&fa=27&dt=1634131904941&bpp=20&bdt=6954&idt=-M&shv=r20211011&mjsv=m202110050101&ptt=9&saldr=aa&abxe=1&cookie=ID%3D904960aecb1dbda2-2268b89782cc00f9%3AT%3D1634131903%3ART%3D1634131903%3AS%3DALNI_MYguwt8VdbcAaRdHDA3-IbmFihOhQ&prev_fmts=0x0&nras=2&correlator=1047377596938&frm=20&pv=1&ga_vid=985721489.1634131902&ga_sid=1634131903&ga_hid=1317417421&ga_fc=0&u_tz=0&u_his=1&u_h=892&u_w=412&u_ah=892&u_aw=412&u_cd=24&adx=0&ady=1781&biw=412&bih=797&scr_x=0&scr_y=569&eid=44750106%2C182982100%2C182982300%2C31062423%2C31063103%2C31060475&oid=2&pvsid=2800225525199289&pem=62&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fm.facebook.com%2F&eae=0&fc=1408&brdim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0%2C412%2C0%2C412%2C797%2C412%2C797&vis=1&rsz=%7C%7Cs%7C&abl=NS&fu=128&bc=31&ifi=2&uci=a!2&btvi=1&fsb=1&xpc=86h8N2cTGD&p=https%3A//starrfm.com.gh&dtd=179

“We cut the cost per voter from 13 dollars per head in 2016 to 7 dollars 70 cents per head at the time when the cost of elections is rising world over. Needless to say, these were no easy feat, it took the herculean effort of our entire team and the helping hand of the almighty God to establish these achievements. We were met with many challenges but we surmounted most of them and those we could not overcome we learnt from them”.

The 2020 General election which was won by President Akufo-Addo but was challenged by his main contender former President John Mahama at the supreme court.

But Jean Mensah argued the process was the most transparent in the history of the country asking other West African countries to emulate

Speaking to NDC leaders and supporters in the Eastern Region on the first day of his Thank You tour in the Eastern Region, the 2020 flag bearer of the main opposition party, said: “If you look at the things happening in Ghana today – the high unemployment rate, businesses are suffering, the economy is collapsing – all the answers to what Ghana is going through today are in NDC’s 2020 manifesto”.

“The Big Push for infrastructure; GHS10 billion into infrastructure to construct our roads, hospitals, schools and all those things, are in the NDC’s 2020 manifesto”, he stressed.

According to him, there were no more discussions of the NPP’s 2020 manifesto in the lead-up to the last general elections “the moment we published the NDC’s manifesto”.

“We had a one-million jobs plan. Solving the galamsey menace was also in the manifesto”, he said.

Mr Mahama said the Akufo-Addo government is taking Ghanaians in the wrong direction, explaining that there is so much nepotism, corruption and insecurity in the country.

He noted that a dollar is now trading at GHS6.1 while every Ghanaian owes more than GHS11,000 IF the country’s total debt were share among the entire population.

The Controller and Accountant General says the move is in line with its quest to deliver speedy, secured and verified payroll services to government employees

Public sector workers who have not registered with the National Identification Authority (NIA) for their Ghana Card risk losing their salary from 1 December 2021.

A statement issued by the Controller and Accountant General’s Department said the move is in line with its quest to deliver speedy, secured and verified payroll services to government employees and pensioners.

The statement said the idea will help reduce the risk of undeserving payments or claims.

It has therefore urged all government workers to ensure that they are registered with the NIA and that they have obtained their unique identity numbers or miss salary payments.

Below is the full statement:

About 7,000 “ghost names” deleted from the government payroll

Last year the Controller and Accountant General’s Department (CAGD) says about 7,000 “ghost names” have been deleted from the government’s payroll system.

This follows a nationwide exercise carried out by auditors and accountants from the CAGD and the Auditor General’s Department. The acting Controller and Accountant General, Kwasi Kwaning-Bosompem, said the exercise was fruitful and allowed all names that could not be validated to be taken off the state payroll. He made these comments during the launch of monthly training for CAGD staff in Accra. 

“Today, it will be very difficult to bring ghost names on to the payroll; besides, the department does not capture names on the payroll, as this is done at the ministries, departments and agencies level through the Public Services Commission before we get new entrants on to our system,” Kwaning-Bosompem said

The 18-member human rights bloc advocating against an anti-Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, LGBTQI+, Bill before Parliament have served notice that they will not be gagged despite threats to some members.

Prof. Takyiwaa Manuh, one of the signatories to the memo that demanded that the Bill be scrapped citing its undemocratic and unconstitutional nature, revealed that the leader of the bloc, Akoto Ampaw, had received an email captioned ‘Gay Lawyer’ with the contents therein threatening him with death.

She stressed that whiles they accepted that people with reasonable objections to their stance will raise such objections, there was the need to be civil about the exchanges.

She tasked especially leaders of religious groups to call on their followers to desist from such threats.

“I would like to state from the outset that whiles we welcome debate, we insist that this debate should be civil,” she said on GTV’s weekend talk programme, Talking Point.

After enumerating specific instances where three members of the bloc had been subjected to threats and insults, she added: “To hear somebody who has a reasoned objection and for us, we welcome all those reasoned objections but we insist that they should be held in a civil and respectful manner.

“And we would like to hear all the people who oppose us to call on their supporters to desist from these threats. They are uncharitable as they are unchristian and un-Muslim and really do not foster democratic values or tolerance in a democratic society.

“So by all means let us disagree, we submitted our memo in response to a call from Parliament, we will not be gagged. This is our opinion, you are free to disagree with us but you do not have the right to threaten anybody,” she added.

Parliament is due to debate the Bill properly named, ‘The Promotion of Proper Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021,’ which was months back referred to the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee of the lawmaking house.

Parliament called for memos on the bill leading to the submission of over 120 memoranda according to lead sponsor of the Bill, Sam Nartey George who is Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram.

Ghana’s pro-gay collective

A group of 18 academicians and human rights defenders have voiced strong opposition to the bill before Parliament, which is seeking to extensively criminalize LGBTQ+ activities.

The group submitted a memorandum to Parliament seeking that the bill be rejected because it was largely unconstitutional and infringed on basic human rights.

Members of Parliament behind the bill, led by Ningo Prampram MP Sam Nartey George, have rubbished the memorandum and asserted that the bill will be passed into law because it has the support of the wider Ghanaian populace.

Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the former Deputy Minister of Information has issued a clap-back to a post by leading member of the New Patriotic Party, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko demanding clarity from former President John Dramani Mahama on his stance on the anti-LGBTQ+ bill.

Gabby in a tweet sought to find out if the bill which is being championed by Sam George and seven other MPs has the backing of John Dramani Mahama.

His tweet of Monday, October 12, 2021; read: “Is former President and presidential aspirant John Mahama for or against the Boy George Bill?”

Kwakye Ofosu in his response urged Gabby Otchere Darko to table the same question to the president with who he shares blood relations.

Ofosu Kwakye tasked Gabby Otchere Darko to enquire from President Akufo-Addo if he would assent the bill when passed.
“Charity begins at home so how about telling us if your cousin,

President Akufo-Addo, supports the bill and will assent to it once it is passed by Parliament” he said, quoting Gabby’s tweet.

Kwakye Ofosu becomes the second NDC top official to demand President Akufo-Addo declares his position on the matter.

Last week, the National Communication Officer of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi tasked President Akufo-Addo and his Vice Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to address Ghanaians on the issues.

“My only disappointment is the lawyer of President Akufo-Addo organizing some persons to oppose this bill. The people of this country deserve to know the position of our president on this bill.

More importantly, they deserve to know the position of his heir apparent who is a Muslim. I’m sad that till date the two leaders have not commented on this bill. President Mahama has commented. President Mills also commented,” he said.

About the anti-LGBTQ+ Bill

Sam Nartey George led an eight-member legislative group that drafted a Private Members’ Bill titled: “The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values, Bill 2021,” which seeks to comprehensively outlaw activities of the LGBTQ+ community.

Currently, the bill has been laid before the house and referred to the appropriate committee for consideration.

The Ningo Prampram MP has strongly defended the need for the bill which he insists is a necessity in preserving the moral and cultural values of Ghanaians in general.

Sam George insists that LGBTQ+ tendencies are not human rights but preferences that need to be regulated within the context of what Ghanaian society and culture accepts.

The bill has the full blessing of Speaker Alban Bagbin who is on record to have said he is pro-life and will ensure that the bill is passed into law as soon as possible.

Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, a leading member of the New Patriotic Party is asking for the stance of former President John Dramani Mahama on the anti-LGBTQ+ Bill currently before Parliament.

He posed the question in a tweet that read: “Is former President and presidential aspirant John Mahama for or against the Boy George Bill?”

Gabby is on record to have spoken against the bill back in July.
“I am struggling to understand what the promoters of this Bill seek to achieve. Perhaps, it is what will fix the myriad of problems we are facing as a country like finding jobs for the youth and fixing our roads,” he said in a social media post.

The LGBTQ+ subject has gained new lease of life after a group of 18 human rights defenders presented a memo to Parliament advocating against the bill.

That memo galvanised persons who are for the bill, including major church groups and other civil society players who are tasking Parliament to expeditiously pass the bill.

What then President Mahama said about LGBTQ

John Dramani Mahama speaking through his Information Minister at the time, Mahama Ayariga, the former president indicated that the act is criminal and punishable under the laws of Ghana.

“The President is to execute the laws of Ghana. And the laws of Ghana are very clear on homosexuality. The laws of Ghana appal and criminalize homosexuality, there is no dispute about that.

“Homosexual conduct which is unnatural canal knowledge of one person or another is criminal and punishable by the laws of Ghana,” he said.

Ghana’s pro-gay collective

A group of 18 academicians and human rights defenders have voiced strong opposition to the bill before Parliament, which is seeking to extensively criminalize the activities of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, LGBTQ+.

The group submitted a memorandum to Parliament seeking that the bill be rejected because it was largely unconstitutional and infringed on basic human rights.

Members of Parliament behind the bill, led by Ningo Prampram MP Sam Nartey George, have rubbished the memorandum and asserted that the bill will be passed into law because it has the support of the wider Ghanaian populace.

Board member of the LGBTQ+ community in Ghana, Va-Bene Elikem Fiatsi, says the debate on the anti LGBTQ+ bill before the country’s parliament is only creating more hate and disgust against them.

She made this assertion in an interview with Sefah-Danquah via phone on the Happy Morning Show (#HappyHMS) aired on e. TV Ghana and Happy 98.9FM. “Parliament is passing a hateful bill to criminalize people’s existence and this shouldn’t be.”

According to her, Ghanaians are hospitable and do not discriminate no matter your gender or origin but this seems to be changing against the LGBTQ+ community.

To her, the creation of the anti LGBTQ+ bill will just create hatred amongst Ghanaians. “Ghanaians are caring that even if you fall on the street people will run to your rescue before they even think of who you are, your colour sexuality, and gender,” she said.

She lamented how hate is being created amongst individuals without realizing the great impact it may be having on people in society.

“Hate can be so packaged that you do not necessarily feel that it’s going to be hateful until it begins to create chaos and violence. If you listen to people’s reaction to what they’ve heard already about the bill it is not good. It has created some kind of sensitization that people do not understand what it means to belong to the LQBTQ+ community,” she said.

Background

Earlier this year, the Speaker of Parliament received a private member bill from some MPs that would expand on the current law that provides up to three years in prison for same-sex activity.

Reports have it that the new bill when passed will prohibit and criminalize advocacy, funding, and an act of LGBTQ+ while promoting conversion therapy programs seeking to “convert” people from homosexuality to heterosexuality.

Meanwhile, fifteen renowned legal, academic and civil society professionals have filled a memorandum challenging the anti-gay legislation submitted to Parliament.

In the memorandum, they contend that the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, which seeks to criminalize LGBTQ+ and adjacent activities, is an “impermissible invasion of the inviolability of human dignity.”

Some Christian leaders, on the other hand, have submitted a memorandum to Parliament on the Proper Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, endorsing the bill.

Communications Director for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Sammy Gyamfi has said there are many Ghanaians who will be disappointed and unhappy if John Dramani Mahama does not contest for the NDC flagbearership in the 2024 elections.https://477dd868cb3038e0d9a3bee51c97a2b7.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

Sammy Gyamfi said he himself will also be unhappy but so will the majority of Ghanaians who have the belief in John Mahama and will be disappointed if the former president fails to contest to salvage Ghana from the claws of the clueless NPP government.

“Of course I will want him to stand and I will be very unhappy if he decides not to stand. I know that he knows that the vast majority of Ghanaians not just NDC supporters will be very disappointed in him if he tries to let us down by not standing.

“Knowing him as a listening leader, I know he will make the right decision by standing when that time is ripe and he deems it fit to make that announcement I believe he himself or his spokespersons will do so for him,” he told Bridget Otoo in an interview on Accra-based Metro TV.null

Meanwhile, former President John Dramani Mahama is currently on a thank-you tour across the country expressing his heartwarming gratitude to the people of Ghana for the massive votes given to him in the 2020 elections.

He is using the opportunity that affords him to address various national issues and bring to bear the shortcomings of the current government.

But it is becoming glaringly clear that the contest for the NDC flagbearership will be a herculean task as Dr. Kwabena Duffour has been tipped to also contest for the position in a bid to “save Ghana”.Source: mynewsgh.com

Former President John Dramani Mahama has said that even though he disputed the 2020 election results announced by the Chair of the Electoral Commission, he recognises that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is the President of Ghana.

This comes after the Supreme Court affirmed the announcement made the the Cir of the Commission, Mrs Jean Adukwei Mensa.

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Dissatisfied with the election results, Mr Mahama filed a petition at the Supreme Court to compel the Electoral Commission to rerun the polls.

In his view, no candidate polled the number of votes to win the presidential elections.

However, after hearing the petition, the apex court in a unanimous decision dismissed the petition on the basis that it was without merit.

Almost all the applications filed by the petitioner including that one that was requesting the chair of the EC to answer some questions, interrogatory application, were turned down by the justices of the court.

Speaking in a meeting with the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs on Tuesday October 12, as part of his thank you tour, Mr Mahama said “Despite the fact that  the elections were not declared  for us , we went to the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court gave it  its ruling  against us and so in my address to the nation  I accepted the  ruling of the court even though  we were not too happy .

“I think that  justice must not only  be done but must be seen to be done  and so the demands  we made  during the court hearing , one, to  let the electoral commission  give access  to information which  was turned down.  

“To ask the electoral commission  some questions that are called interrogatories  such as is done in normal court proceedings  , that was also turned down  and indeed, the most injurious one to our democracy , to let the person  responsible  for elections in this country  that has been constitutionally mandated  stand in the witness box  and testify to the work she did , also turned down.

“And so, we accepted the verdict but we disagreed  with a lot of things that took place  in that court. But in the interest of peace of the country we accept by reason of that court , it means that the recognised  president of the country  is Nana Akufo-Addo  and we all respect him as our president.

“I will continue to say that even though we disagreed with  processes of  the elections, we disagreed with some of the process of the  court hearing , the reality of the fact  is that he is our president

Former President John Dramani Mahama has said that the decision of the seven justices of the Supreme Court to refuse his request to make the Chair of the Electoral Commission (EC) Jean Adukwei Mensa testify in the 2020 election petition hearing, was the most injurious development in the entire hearing.

During the hearing, the Court said Mrs Adukwei Mensa and Campaign Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in last year’s elections Peter Mac Manu could not be compelled to mount the witness box to be cross-examined.

The apex court said this on Thursday, February 11, 2021 when delivering its ruling on whether or not Mrs Adukwei Mensa should mount the witness box to be cross-examined.

During proceedings on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 lawyers for the 1st and 2nd respondents, Justin Amenuvor and Akoto Ampaw respectively, told the Court that the petitioner cannot compel them to elect witnesses to appear in the witness box.

During legal arguments on a move by the respondents not to testify in the case, Mr Akoto Ampaw told the Court: “The petitioner cannot compel us to enter the witness box to adduce evidence.”

He added: “The petitioner has adduced evidence and closed his case. We have taken the position that in our assessment, they have not discharged the burden of proof and the burden of producing evidence and, therefore, we will not give further evidence and the Court will determine the case on the evidence before it

Lawyer for the petitioner Mr Tsatsu Tsikata, told the court during the legal arguments that Jean Mensa, cannot skip cross-examination.

He argued that by filing a witness statement, the 1st Respondent has opened her up for cross-examination.

“It is our respectful submission that by filing its witness statement the first respondent has clearly crossed the bridge as far as opening the witness up for cross-examination is concerned. That bridge has been crossed, the ship has already been sailed,” Tsatsu said in his argument to the bench.

But the court dismissed his objection on the heels that a witness cannot be compelled to mount the witness box.

Addressing the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs on Tuesday October 12 as part of his thank you tour, Mr Mahama said “Despite the fact that the elections were not declared  for us , we went to the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court gave it  its ruling  against us and so in my address to the nation  I accepted the  ruling of the court even though  we were not too happy .

“I think that  justice must not only  be done but must be seen to be done  and so the demands  we made  during the court hearing , one, to  let the electoral commission  give access  to information which  was turned down.  

“To ask the electoral commission  some questions that are called interrogatories  such as is done in normal court proceedings  , that was also turned down  and indeed the most injuries  one to our democracy , to let the person  responsible  for elections in this country  that has been constitutionally mandated  stand in the witness box  and testify to the work she did , also turned down.

“And so, we accepted the verdict but we disagreed  with a lot of things that took place  in that court. But in the interest of peace of the country we accept by reason of that court , it means that the recognised  president of the country  is Nana Akufo-Addo  and we all respect him as our president . I will continue to say that even though we disagreed with  processes of  the elections, we disagreed with some of the process of the  court hearing , the reality of the fact  is that he is our president

Former President John Dramani Mahama has noted that times are hard for Ghanaians under the Akufo-Addo administration.

He noted that food prices and other commodities are increasing on a daily basis.

“Fuel costs are rising, every day the pump prices go up,” he said in a meeting with chiefs in the Eastern region as part of his thank you tour.

He added “This year many unions are unhappy with the negotiations that took place where a paltry 4 per cent was given to them” when those of Article 71 office holders have been given wider increment.

“Even though you do free SHS you have no jobs for them to do when they come out. Times are hard and people suffering, food prices are going up. every day the prices are increasing,” he stressed.

“These are things that are not going on well and I believe Nananom (Chiefs) will speak about it,” the Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in last year’s elections said

Samuel Ofosu Ampofo is NDC’s National Chairman

National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, has claimed that elected assembly members are being denied their constitutional right to endorse or reject persons nominated for the position of Municipal, Metropolitan and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the country.

Without mentioning the areas where these happenings are taking place, he alleged that in some areas, the military and other security officers are being used to block some assembly members from having access to the auditorium where the voting is taking place to perform their duties.

He made these allegations when the presidential candidate of the NDC in last year’s elections, Former President John Dramani Mahama met the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs as part of his thank you tour on Tuesday October 12.

He said “You recall that His Excellency President Akufo-Addo  sometimes in the last  term,  proposed amendments to  the Local government  Act  and proposed that  the local government system should be partisan. Those of us here  opposed vehemently  that we will want  to persevere  the nonpartisan nature of our  district assemblies. So, there was  a very intense debate  when a referendum was  proposed  and because of the  position that we canvassed  and convinced Ghanaians  finally, the president  had to withdraw and then referendum never took place.

“Recent development  in the appointment and approval of MMDCEs  vindicate our position  that if we make  local government  system partisan  we will further polarise  this country  and we will to be able to even  put our citizens  together to undertake development projects .

“Why am I saying so?  Only last Sunday  in one district assembly  when 38  people were supposed  to go and endorse  municipal, chief executive  on Sunday  some government appointees were put together  and one or two people were added  and military and  security agencies  provided them  escort to go and approve  somebody who has been appointed  as a DCE.

“The elected assembly members  were prevented from  exercising  their constitutional right  and this is a sad commentary for local governance  which for me  is the heart beat of   the  chiefs when it comes to the governance architecture of this country.

“It did not happen in that place alone, in several  other places  elected assembly members  are prevented and  because the clause says that  two thirds  present and voting  so they will he  elected members and  cordoned off a few people  and say  they are the only people who came  and they have voted  and so somebody has been declared  the DCE.

“I think we are bastardising our local government system and I will plead with the chiefs that in your deliberations take these matters into consideration because our democratic dispensation, the pillars upon which our democracy revolves is the decentralisation and the local government system of which the chiefs are part.”

Mr Ofosu Ampofo is not the only one making this claim.

Members of Parliament for Cape Coast North and Cape Coast South constituencies have also accused the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) of using security forces including thugs to intimidate Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly (CCMA) members perceived to be members of the NDC to confirm the president’s nominee of Chief Executive.

According to the MPs, Kweku George Ricketts-Hagan of Cape Coast South and Kwamena Mintah Nyarku of Cape Coast North, the NPP have devised several means to ensure that Ernest Arthur is forcefully confirmed.

The 2020 NPP Parliamentary Candidate for Cape Coast South has failed twice to get two-thirds majority votes of assembly members after being renominated by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Mr Arthur, popularly known as Mayor 1, needed only four votes on Wednesday, October 6 in a second voting on his renomination to be confirmed Chief Executive.

But not even an impassioned gesture by the Central Region Minister, Marigold Assan, will move some assembly members to vote for him.

Others had accused NDC’s Ricketts-Hagan of masterminding his defeat.

He had polled 34 ‘Yes’ votes in the first voting on Monday, September 27, a marked departure from the 99 percent he polled in 2017 when he was nominated for the first time by the president.

Addressing journalists on Monday, October 11, the day initially rumoured for the third and final voting, the two NDC MPs said the two-time rejection of Mr Arthur is a clear indication that he is not wanted by the good people of Cape Coast as mayor.

“There is no law in the constitution that the President should re-present or renominate the candidate. However, the President in his prerogative can renominate a failed nominee,” former Deputy Finance Minister Ricketts-Hagan admitted.

“Mr Ernest Arthur has been nominated twice and twice have the people of Cape Coast rejected him through their assembly representatives. Cape Coast has refused emphatically for Mr Ernest Arthur to be their MCE after four or almost five years to continue as MCE and the assembly has reflected these sentiments of the people they represent.”

They claimed the NDC will resist all attempts by government to use institutions such as the police and NPP’s Invisible Forces to intimidate assembly members.

“We will make sure that nothing less than free and fair elections is what happens here in Cape Coast,” said Mr Mintah Nyarku.

They said any bloodshed in the ancient capital will be put on the head of the government