The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, will today (Tuesday), begin a three-day tour of the Eastern Region.
This will be President Akufo-Addo’s first visit to his home Region after the 2020 elections.××
It will also be the first time the President will meet with residents of the Region after the nomination of MMDCEs.
The Eastern Regional Director of Communications of the NPP, David Prah who announced this to journalists noted that the President will inspect and commission projects and cut sod for new ones to begin.
According to him, the President will on Tuesday, storm Nkawkaw for a radio interview, thereafter move to Atibie Government Hospital to inspect a rehabilitation of the facility and some ongoing road projects.
Thereafter, he will round up the day tour in Koforidua, the regional capital where he will commission some projects.
On Wednesday, he will visit the Chiefs of Aburi and Okuapenhene respectively, and commission some projects in the Okere District.
President Akufo-Addo will on Thursday storm Adeiso, Akim-Swedru, Akim Wenchi, where he will attend some durbars in his honor after visiting the Akim-Oda burnt market.
He said the tour is to allow the president to listen to the chiefs on their concerns and assessment of his government
• President Nana Akufo-Addo says he will campaign for the next NPP flagbearer when he has the strength
• He said, he is to ensure a level playing field for all the candidates
• He said, supporting one candidate can bring disturbances in the party
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo says he will only campaign for the next NPP flagbearer to become the president of Ghana if he has the strength.
According to him, supporting any of the candidates that have declared their intentions to contest for the flabearership position can cause disturbances in the party.
“My duty is to hold the balance, to make sure that there is a level playing field for all inside our party. The decision has to be the decision of the party, my thing is that whoever the party elects as the flagbearer for 2024, that person is who I will support and God willing, if I have strength campaign for the person to become President”, President Akufo-Addo said on Pure FM in Kumasi.null
Speaking on the popular ‘breaking the eight’ slogan, the President noted that, it is relevant for the NPP to stay in power to ensure sustained development.
“I always say, our situation in Ghana, if the NPP government had continued after President Kufour, maybe Ghana would have realised the desired changes but we didn’t have the opportunity to continue.
“We continued the eight-year cycle. Mills and Mahama came as far as I am concerned, we went backwards again and I have a fear that may happen again if we don’t win 2024 and that has given birth to the slogan break the eight,” Akufo-Addo explained.
Some names that have emerged as persons interested in the President’s position include Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Alan Kyerematen, Trades and Industry Minister, Dr. Owusu Afriyie-Akoto, Minister for Food and Agriculture, and Joe Ghartey.
Rev. Isaac Owusu Bempah, the General Overseer of Glorious Word Power Ministry International has been slapped with fresh charges by Circuit Court 1 in Accra.
Rev Owusu-Bempah together with one Mensah Ofori and Berchie pleaded not guilty to four fresh charges to wit Offensive Conduct Conducive to the breach of peace and threat of death.
In court, on Tuesday, October 5, prosecution led by Detective Chief Inspector Dennis Terkpetey withdrew the previous charge sheet where six persons were charged.
The latest charge bothers on the threat to kill Patricia Oduro Koranteng, popularly known as Nana Agradaa.
They were granted bail by the court presided over by Afia Owusua Appiah after their lawyers led by Gary Nomako Marfo moved bail for them.
The prosecution did not oppose the grant of bail except to say the bail terms should be in such a way that will compel the accused persons to stand trial.null
While Owusu-Bempah was granted a 100, 000 self-recognizance bail, Michael Ofori, and Berchie were granted 100, 000 with two sureties to be justified.
All the accused persons are to deposit their passports to the registrar of the court and can only travel outside the country with the express permission of the court.
Aside from the bail terms, they are to report to the police once every two weeks till the final determination of the case.
EIB Network’s Correspondent Murtala Inusah reports that Owusu Bempah and the three persons discharged – Michael Boateng, Frederick Ohene, and Nathaniel Agyekum are appearing before Circuit Court 2 in respect of the injury to the police officers.
The case has been adjourned to November 10, 2021, for Case Management Conference.
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says Government has taken the decision to absorb Neoplan Ghan Ltd into its flagship 1-District-1-Factory initiative, in order to help resuscitate the company, which has been on the decline for some time.
This follows a request made to the President by the Member of Parliament for Bantama, Hon. Francis Asenso Boakye, and the Managing Director of Neoplan Ghana, Mr Georges Nassar, for an intervention by Government to save the company from imminent collapse.
Neoplan (Ghana) Ltd was established in 1974 under the Kutu Acheampong Regime, as a joint-venture company between the Government of Ghana and Gottlob Auwarter GmbH to produce buses for Ghana’s public transport fleet. Indeed, the company became the first bus manufacturing plant in West Africa.
It will be recalled that on the assumption of office of the NPP Government in 2001, Neoplan Ghana was contracted to build 450 buses for the Metro Mass Transport fleet. This contract was for a period of 8 years, ending in July 2010.
Since then, the company has not been able to secure any such Government contract, and, with the inability of the company to secure orders from the private sector, its operations have been limited to bus repair and maintenance services, which have led to recurring losses
Visiting the premises of the company on Monday, 4th October 2021, on the final day of his 4-day tour of the company, the President noted that it was under the Government of John Agyekum Kufuor, in 2001, that the company’s fortunes was revived, and same will be done under his administration.
Responding to a direct request from the Managing Director of Neoplan for the Metro Mass Transit Ltd to place its orders for the provision of buses with Neoplan, President Akufo-Addo indicated that “we are going to make sure that that order is brought very soon.”
On his part, the Minister for Trade and Industry, Hon. Alan Kyerematen, stated that Neoplan has been a household name since the 70s, and, just as former President Kufuor did to ensure the revival of the company, President Akufo-Addo will do same.
He stressed that the agenda that has been pursued by President Akfo-Addo since he came into office in 2017 has been to move Ghana away from being a mere producer and exporter of raw materials to a valud-added, industrialised economy, which is the surest means of creating the necessary numbers of jobs for the masses.
Neoplan, according to the Minister for Trade and Industry, was responsible for the production and distribution of 450 buses for use by the Metro Mass Transit, some of which are still very much in use.
“The President has heard you clearly. All you want is that what Kufuor did, President Akufo-Addo should do the same for you… If Ghana has the money to import buses, which in turns creates jobs for foreigners, why don’t we use the same money to import to recapitalise Neoplan? This is what the President is going to do for you. There are good times ahead of Neoplan. Neoplan shall rise again,” Alan Kyerematen added.
Reconstruction of Anwiankwanta-Obuasi Road
President Akufo-Addo also inspected ongoing work on the construction of the 30-kilometre Anwiankwanta – Obuasi Road, which has been awarded to Messrs Joshob Construction Company Limited, at a contract price of GH¢321,999,853.71.
The project is expected to be completed within 48 calendar months, ending on 18th December, 2023, and it is being financed through the Consolidated Fund of the Government of Ghana.
The rehabilitation works involves site clearance and demolition, provision of roadside drains to effect proper drainage of road to ensure pavement longevity, sectional ground improvement with boulders, provision of asphalt concrete surfacing and provision of roadline markings and road signs to enhance safety of road users.
Currently, the progress of works stands at 82% completion, and, when completed, the road will enhance socio-economic activities in the area, and facilitate the efficient movement of people and goods to towns such as Anwiankwanta, Daa, Patasi, Kwapia, Dadwen, Obuasi and the surrounding communities.
The improved condition of the road will promote agricultural activities, trade and ensure efficient delivery of services in Bekwai Municipal and Obuasi Municipality and their contiguous districts.
“I always say, our situation in Ghana, if the NPP government had continued after President Kufour, maybe Ghana would have realized the desired changes but we didn’t have the opportunity to continue.
“We continued the eight-year cycle. When Mills and Mahama, came as far as I am concerned, we went backwards again and I have a fear that may happen again if we don’t win 2024 and that has given birth to the slogan break the eight,” he added.null
The President believes that it’s imperative that the party works harder at ensuring that the lives of the people are transformed in order that the party will continue to stay in power.
He, however, does not intend to lean towards any candidate vying to lead the NPP because that may hurt the fortunes of the party.
“My duty is to hold the balance, to make sure that there is a level playing field for all inside our party. The decision has to be the decision of the party, my thing is that whoever the party elects as the flagbearer for 2024, that person is who I will support and God willing, if I have strength to campaign for the person to become President,” he said on Pure FM in Kumasi.
Director of Communications of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Yaw Buaben Asamoa has said that the decision by the government to purchase a new presidential jet was informed by security advice that was given by Defence Minister, Dominic Nitwul.null
The government has announced plans to purchase a new presidential jet for the president’s foreign travels.
This was disclosed by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin at the Jubilee House Monday, September 27 during the Presidency’s weekly press briefing.
According to Mr Arhin, the government of Ghana, through the Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul has already started the processes for the procurement of the new jet.
“You would recollect that when the government of President Kufuor left office in 2008, it had procured two jets – the current Falcon and a bigger one but for one reason or the other, the bigger jet was cancelled, and we were left with just one. That has happened, but you will recall that the Defence Minister stated clearly that the government has decided to buy a bigger jet to save us from all these troubles.”
“I don’t want to go into the details, but I am sure that when the minister gets the opportunity, he will give further information on what the government is doing in that respect, but I am sure of the fact that government is already in the process of getting a bigger jet for use”, he told pressmen Monday.null
This revelation comes at a time when the presidency has dismissed claims made by Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, that Akufo-Addo uses luxury chartered jets while on foreign travels which according to him has cost Ghana GH¢10 million so far.
The presidency has however failed to disclose the cost of the president’s travel.
When the North Tongu MP filed an urgent question on the floor of parliament to have the Minister of Finance respond to the cost of the president’s foreign travels the first time, the minister asked for more time to get the figures but he later appeared before the House and said the issue was a matter of National Security.
The MP says he will not relent in his efforts to demand accountability from the government on the matter.
The government has been criticsed for this move. For instance, Mr Abraham Amaliba, a member of the legal team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) said “said purchasing a new jet is needles because the current Falcon jet is fit for purpose.
“This aircraft I’m told has a life span of 30 years and we have just done eleven so it is a baby in the aviation industry so why will we be citing one or two instances where it develops a fault and based on that we want to buy a new jet
“We all know this plane is good, it can do long-distance travel but I just think that we have a president who has a different taste altogether.”
But reacting to these concerns, Mr Buaben Asamoa who is a former lawmaker for Adentan said “I think at some point we must agree that somebody takes that ultimate decision. The ultimate decision-maker is the manager of the president’s safety and security.
“Those managers are saying that we didn’t have an aircraft that is reliable, we don’t have an aircraft that is serviceable, we don’t have an aircraft with enough capacity to deal with the state’s requirement of the presidency. All these are being said by the manager through the defence Minister.”
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Monday, 4 October 2021, cut the sod for the construction of a 100-bed Trauma Hospital for the Obuasi Municipality.
The construction of the Obuasi Municipal Trauma Hospital is being facilitated by a €55 million facility acquired by the Akufo-Addo government, which will also be used to remodel and construct three projects, namely Atiwa East Hospital at Anyinam, rehabilitation of the existing Obuasi Government Hospital, and re-modelling of the Enyiresi Hospital.
The €55 million facility, secured through Deutsche Bank, with an insurance premium of €5,000,000 from African Trade Insurance, President Akufo-Addo said, will have a positive impact on the lives of people in the beneficiary communities.
The Obuasi Municipal Trauma Hospital project is to be undertaken by Universal Hospital Group (UHG), a 100%-owned Ghanaian company, and will consist of an Emergency Department with a Triage; three (3) operating theatres, recovery rooms, resuscitation rooms, plaster room, a diagnostics centre to include a CT scan, X-ray, fluoroscopy, laboratory and a blood bank.
In addition, it will include an Outpatient Department, including pharmacy and consulting rooms, public health department, medical administration, 100-beds in total for in-patient wards including a trauma and orthopaedic ward, 30 beds for other interventions requiring temporary stay, staff housing and a mortuary.
The construction and opening of the new hospital, the President indicated, will be of enormous benefit to the Obuasi Municipality in terms of health services that will be provided and employment opportunities.
He was expectant that the Ghana Health Service, managers of the facility once completed, will put in measures to attract the requisite specialised health staff to come and work in the Hospital.
The President also expressed appreciation to the Chiefs of the Obuasi Traditional Council, as well as Obuasi for their outstanding commitment and support shown to his government, and was hopeful that the contractors will complete the construction of the hospital within the stipulated period of thirty (30) months.
The Chief of New Edubiase, Oguahyia Oduro Panin Birikorang, thanked President Akufo-Addo for citing the hospital in Obuasi, stating that the hospitals in Obuasi are overstretched and, once completed, the Trauma Hospital will be of immense benefit to the people of the town
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Atta Mills Institute Koku Anyidoho, has opined that persons calling for the Inter-Party Advisory Committee to be given legal backing have not provided any compelling reasons for their call.null
In an opinion piece, Mr. Anyidoho said ”The voices that are advocating for legal status for IPAC: instead of giving as a raison d’etre, are giving us nothing but a raison d’etat!!!”
In a barrage of questions, he quizzed; ”As an Advisory Body, has anything stopped the IPAC from boldly sharing thoughts and helping the nation broaden its electoral landscape positively?
“Is our electoral history not replete with IPAC’s consensus-building platform, helping the nation introduce acceptable ways of giving more meaning to our democratic dispensation vis universal adult suffrage?”
He believes the Electoral Commission (EC) must disband IPAC if they cannot build consensus.
”If it is the case that the political parties cannot build consensus any longer, it would be better for the EC to disband IPAC’s Administrative Existence rather than allow an amorphous grouping to become more than an amoeba-like leech.null
“Political Parties must realise that the art of politicking and canvassing for votes, is, both an art and science.
“Politicking It is not a venture for cluelessness and empty propaganda because, the art of winning elections is steeped in, scientific gathering and analysis of data.
“Planning and strategizing are the surest ways of winning any election and not a dependence on the EC to rig elections in your favour.
“With the existing transparent voting and counting system in Ghana, political parties must invest in training agents who have the capacity to master the procedures and process governing the electoral chain.”
He continued: “Then again, if IPAC gets legal backing, what happens to the aspect of the Constitution that bars any individual/body from giving “instructions” to the EC in “doing its work”?null
“The voices that are claiming to love democracy so much that they want the EC to be at the beck and call of politicians; those politicians, have they opened up the space within their political parties for that kind of utopian democracy to fester unchecked?
“How many of the political parties really get the base of their parties involved in hardcore decision-making? At the congresses where they effect changes to the constitutions; do Parties really allow for deep and proper debates before amendments are made?
“Do they not just go and throw dust into the eyes of the unsuspecting masses and ratify amendments that have already been made by Accra-based oligarchs on the blind side of the masses?” He asked in an article he wrote to reject a call to give legal backing to the IPAC.
He added: “As the saying goes; people should learn to remove the huge logs out of their eyes before attempting unashamedly to remove the specks out of the eyes of others. Charity, they say, begins at home.
“Political Parties should first broaden the space for real and effective participatory democracy within their fold, before wanting to champion some death-trap course of forcing the EC to allow political parties to run elections in Ghana.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has disclosed that he got no favourite among the candidates who have expressed interest in contesting the presidential candidate slot in the upcoming presidential primaries of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The President asserted that he must hold the balance and not support any candidate.
According to the President, the decision of who becomes a presidential candidate is reserved for the elephant family and not him as an individual.
Speaking on Pure FM in Kumasi, the number one gentleman of the land promised to support anyone that the party would elect to represent them in the 2024 presidential polls.null
He assured the party that whoever gets elected, God willingly, he would help the person.
He promised to vigorously campaign for the candidate who would be elected if he got the strength to do so.
“I can’t have a favourite to break the 8 for the NPP. My duty is to hold the balance but the decision has to be that of the party and worker the party elects, that person is who I will support and God-willing, if I do have the strength, I will vigorously campaign for the elected individual,” he added.
President Akufo-Addo has told members of the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) that their threat to reject the nomination of Sam Payne as the Mayor of Kumasi on the grounds of the nonpayment of the assembly’s debts running into some GH¢50 million is unfounded.
He says the debt which has become a yardstick for the assembly members was not incurred by the nominee and so it would be unfair to hold him to ransom and make him a victim of the past.
Speaking with Kwame Adinkrah in an exclusive interview on Kumasi-based Pure FM monitored by Mynewsgh.com on Monday morning, the President said the debt remains mysterious since its origin and or authenticity has not been verified, stating he is unable to make any commitment to settle it until a thorough investigation has been instituted.
“He is not the one who incurred the debt so I don’t understand the connection; if he was the one then I would bear with them but to make him a victim of the past, I think it is unfair. That is why I have come to plead with the assembly members to confirm him to make way for him to address the issues of the debts.”
He said the Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Decentralization, Dan Botwe has been tasked to take steps to investigate the genesis of the debt and brief government accordingly.
He therefore appealed to the assembly members consider the “popularity of Sam Payne” and the interest of the City of Kumasi to confirm his nominee.
Meanwhile, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly is set to vote on the nomination of Sam Payne as the Metropolitan Chief Executive of Kumasi at the Prempeh Assembly Hall tomorrow morning.
Presiding Member of the KMA and Amakom Assembly Man, Hon. Stephen Ofori who spoke in an interview with Angel News last week insisted that nothing short of written commitment by government to have the assembly’s debts paid would make them vote for Sam Pyne.
The Governing New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) General Secretary is of the belief that removing his party from government after Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s tenure will affect several aspects of the country’s fabric.
According to him, the government has put in place some great social intervention programmes that need to be sustained and that can only be done by the NPP government.
He mentioned the Free Senior High School, Nation Builders Corps, and allowances of Nursing and Teacher Trainees as programmes that will suffer a collapse if the NPP is not retained.
John Boadu was addressing the Regional Delegates in the Upper East Region of Ghana.
“NPP has made such an investment, such that all our Senior High School students are going to school for free. Our opponents have said time and time again that they don’t have the capacity to maintain that system that we are operating.
“What it means is that, if we don’t break the 8, you won’t continue to have the free SHS that you’re having. Our opponents have indicated over the years that they cannot pay training college allowances, both nurses and teachers. So, if you don’t break the 8, you are not going to continue to enjoy it”. He said.
He noted that that the people of the Northern part of Ghana are greater beneficiaries of the social intervention programmes and it’s imperative that they provided the needed support to ensure the NPP “breaks the eight”.
“It is important that you, up north are major beneficiaries of the planting of food and jobs and it is important that we keep our government in place in order for us to continue to benefit”.
John Boadu charged the delegates and supporters of the NPP to work hard in order for the party to hang on to power and transform the fortunes of the Ghanaian people.
• Boakye Agyarko has advised NPP not to impose a candidate on the party
• He said, imposition is not in the party’s DNA
• Boakye Agyarko has declared his intention to contest NPP’s flagbearship race
Boakye Kyeremateng Agyarko, has cautioned, the governing NPP not to impose a candidate on the party as it prepares to elect a candidate to break the eight-year presidential cycle in 2024.
Speaking to Joy FM in a report sighted by GhanaWeb, the former energy minister said, no coronation or imposition has been accepted by the rank and file of the party.
He said imposing a candidate on the party is against the DNA of the governing party.
To him, the governing party has a tradition of allowing candidates to be elected by the party’s delegates, citing the contests between former President Kufuor and then-candidate Nana Akufo-Addo in 2000, as well as, candidates Nana Akufo-Addo and Alan Kyerematen in 2008.
Boakye Agyarko explained, “You can go back to be beginning at our tradition, JB Danquah had to contest and he almost lost. Busia had to contest.
“Victor Owusu was contested by the likes of J.H Mensah and Dr. Kwame Sarfo Adu. Prof Adu Boahene was contested by the likes of Kodua, Kufuor and all of that. Kufour was contested famously by Akufo-Addo and Akufo-Addo was also contested by Alan Kyerematen.”
Agyarko added, “the process must be respected to throw up the leader of the party.”
So far Boakye Agyarko has joined the likes of Vice President Dr. Bawumia, the Trade Minister, Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanteng and the Agric Minister, Dr. Afriyie Akoto to contest for the flagbearership race of the party.
Thirteen people have been confirmed dead in an accident at Konongo on the Accra-Kumasi Highway in the Ashanti region.
The accident is reported to have been Sunday evening, around 10 pm between an Accra-Kumasi bound bus and a Cargo Truck at Konongo.
An eyewitness said one of the buses attempted to overtake another vehicle which led to a head-on collision with an oncoming bus.
The injured people have been rushed to the Konongo Government hospital for treatment while the deceased have been deposited at the morgue awaiting autopsy.
President Akufo-Addo says over 49,000 Nation Builders’ Corps (NABCo) beneficiaries have been absorbed into the country’s public sector or have become entrepreneurs after gaining the needed experience.
Speaking on Kumasi based Ash FM as part of his tour of the Ashanti Region, he said more young graduates will be benefiting from the programme.
“49,000 have so far transitioned either to permanent employment or working for themselves. That’s nearly 50% of the beneficiaries.”
“We are looking at recruiting many more into the programme in the coming days
• Sam Nartey George says his group will prevail with the anti-LGBTQ+ bill
• He said, their argument is superior to the opposition
• Some fifteen renowned individuals have sent a memorandum to Parliament to thrash the anti-LGBTQ bill
Samuel Nartey George, MP-Ningo Prampram, has indicated that, those who are for the anti-LGBTQ+ bill outnumber those who oppose it.
According to him, their argument is superior to the opposition and they have the facts to support their position.
In a post on his Facebook timeline, Sam Nartey George, who is a lead advocate of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill wrote:
“Those with us and for us far outnumber the few whose consideration is material. We have a superior argument. The facts support our position. We shall prevail.
“The will of the majority of Ghanaians shall prevail against all machinations and schemes. Do not be dismayed with titles or self-proclaimed accolades. They would count for nothing during the debates on the floor of Parliament. That is where the business is.
“We are on course. Victory beckons.”
Some fifteen renowned individuals have sent a memorandum to Parliament to thrash the anti-LGBTQ bill before the house as it violates most of the fundamental human rights of Ghanaians.
The individuals which include legal practitioners and professors stated that aside from violating the key fundamental freedoms under the constitution, the bill also violates the dignity and inviolability of every person guaranteed under Article 21 of the constitution.
“The Bill violates the right to inviolability of the person. It violates virtually all the key fundamental freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution, namely the right to freedom of speech and expression; the right to freedom of thought, conscience and belief; the freedom to practice any religion and to manifest such in practice (which includes the freedom not to practice any religion); the right to assemble, including the freedom to take part in processions and demonstrations; the freedom of association and the right to organize- in essence the fundamental human rights guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.”
The memo further noted that: “In addition, the provisions of the Bill violates the dignity and inviolability of every person, guaranteed under Article 15; it violates the principle of equality before the law, and the right to freedom from discrimination on grounds of gender, race, colour, ethnic origin, religion, creed or social-economic status, guaranteed under Article 11, as well as the right to privacy guaranteed under Article 18 of the Constitution. In short, the provisions of the Bill are so egregious in their violation of the fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution that it beggars belief that it could be introduced as a Bill in the House of Parliament.”
The team pushing for this include Akoto Ampaw, Prof Emerita Takyiwaa Manuh, Prof Kwame KariKari, Prof Kofi Gyimah-Boadi and Prof Audrey Gadzekpo.
The others are Dr. Rose Kutin-Mensah, Dr. Yao Graham, Prof Dzodzi Tsikata, Prof H. Kwasi Prempeh, Kwasi Adu-Amankwah, Dr. Kojo Asante, Akunu Dake, Tetteh Homerku-Adjei, Prof Raymond Atuguba and Kofi Ofei-Nkansah.
Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, told journalists on September 27, 2021, that Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, has already begun the processes for Ghana to procure the new jet.
Reacting to the development on Joy FM’s Newsfile, Sammy Gyamfi described the move as an insult to the sensibilities and plight of Ghanaians.null
“I submit forcefully that the decision by Akufo-Addo-Bawumia NPP-led government to buy a new presidential jet is a misplaced priority and will amount to a waste of the public purse if it is allowed. The mere thought of it at this time is insensitive to the plight of the ordinary Ghanaian and an insult to our sensibilities,” Sammy Gyamfi said on the program on October 3, 2021.
Already, some members of the minority caucus of the 8th Parliament have filed urged questions requesting for full disclosure of cost for President Akufo-Addo international trips.
MP for North Tongu, Samual Okudzeto Ablakwa, has on numerous occasions stated that the current presidential jet, the Falcon was efficient enough for the president’s trips instead of chartered flights which was been paid by the State.
Meanwhile, government on its part has justified that the current presidential jet is not fit enough for purpose hence its decision to move ahead to purchase a new one.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has inspected work on the construction of the J. A Kufuor Senior High Technical School, the Creative Arts Senior High School and Bosomtwe Girls’ Senior High School all in the Ashanti Region.
On Saturday, 2nd October 2021, President Akufo-Addo visited the J. A Kufuor Senior High Technical School and the Creative Arts Senior High School, whose construction commenced in December 2019.
Named after the 2nd President of the 4th Republic, Mr John Agyekum Kufuor, the J. A Kufuor Senior High Technical School, located in Dabaa in the Atwima Nwabiagya North, it will serve as a model Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) school.
Taking the President on a tour of the facility, the Project Manager told the President that the school has a capacity to house some 1,200 students, with the school placing an emphasis on technical education, which would prepare students for jobs involving applied sciences and modern technology.
The school, the Project Manager stressed will be completed in the course of 2022, ahead of the commencement of the 2022/2023 academic year.
The J.A. Kufuor Senior High School is fitted with a full complement of amenities such as playing fields, administrative buildings, libraries, and dormitories. Additionally, the V-Block in the school has a total of 24 classrooms, as opposed to 12 classrooms in the E-Blocks constructed by the former administration.
Plans are in the pipeline for the construction of 35 more such model schools around the country.
President Akufo-Addo also inspected work on the construction of the creative arts industry, the very first Senior High School in Ghana dedicated solely to the industry, located in Kwadaso in the Ashanti Region.
The school will equip students for the Arts, through powerful learning experiences, embrace and excel in the arts and academics, whilst working towards their visions of the future.
The Project has been designed to include the following 2-storey administration block; library block; auditorium/theatre (1,300 designed capacity); 4-storey 16-unit creative arts block with ancillary facilities; 4-storey 20-unit classroom block with 4 dedicated laboratory rooms; 3-storey dormitory block; 2-storey dormitory block; dining hall with kitchen; principal’s residence; 2 vice principals’ residence, 2 no. staff flats; sports area; maintenance shed; waste treatment/holding bay; access roads and paved walkways; and gatehouse.
On Sunday, 3rd October 2021, President Akufo-Addo inspected ongoing work on the construction of Bosomtwe Girls Senior High School, which is being established to promote the participation of girls in STEM education.
The school is complete and equipped with the requisite labs to aid 21st-century learning approaches and methods in science-based learning.
The President was told the construction of an 18-unit classroom block with offices and washrooms and external works was 100% complete. A 4-Unit Science Laboratory Block, being constructed by GNPC, is 90% complete, with the construction of a girls’ dormitory block currently ongoing
A Tema-bound low-bed truck is stuck under the Hong Kong footbridge on the George Walker Bush motorway.
Personnel from the Odorkor Motor Traffic Transport Department (MTTD) have been at the scene directing and assisting approaching motorists.
The police said in a statement that efforts are underway to remove the stuck equipment from the truck.
Meanwhile, the driver of the truck has been arrested by the police to assist with investigations.
Also, the Greater Accra Regional Maintenance Manager of the Ghana Highways Authority has been to the scene to support the police with on-the-spot investigations.
The police has advised approaching motorists to drive cautiously on that route
The Asantehene in a group picture with the management of Rocksure International
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has advised Exton Cubic Group, to bid for a part of the Nyinahin bauxite concession
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has advised Exton Cubic Group, owned by Ghanaian businessman, Ibrahim Mahama, to consider tendering for concession to mine for bauxite at Nyinahin, in the Ashanti Region.
He said he was aware that Exton Cubic Group had in the past tried unsuccessfully to mine for bauxite at Nyinahin, therefore the company should give it a try once again, now that the huge bauxite concession has been divided into three parts.
“Exton Cubic Group should tender for the remaining part of the vast bauxite concession at Nyinahin and if they are able to prove that they have the capacity to operate, then they should be given part of the concession to ensure peace,” he said.
Otumfuo also stressed the need for fairness to prevail in the allocation of concessions to companies to operate at Nyinahin, saying that any company that has the capacity to operate should not be discriminated against by the authorities.
Rocksure International’s Visit
The Asantehene was speaking when the management of Rocksure International, the firm that has been awarded part of the concession at Nyinahin to mine for Bauxite, paid a courtesy call on him at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.
The historic visit was among other things, intended to give the leadership of Rocksure International the opportunity to officially inform Otumfuo and Asanteman about their readiness to mine for bauxite at Nyinahin very soon.
Rocksure International’s Selection
The Asantehene said Rocksure International was selected to mine for bauxite at Nyinahin after the company had gone through the laid down procedure and beaten stiff competition from 38 other equally competent companies.
“In all, 39 companies put in tender for a concession to operate at Nyinahin and Rocksure International, which was one of the bidders, emerged tops, ” he said, adding that, “Exton Cubic did not put in a bid, and they should do so now”.
NDCs Threat against Otumfuo’s Words
Interestingly, whilst Otumfuo is clearly pushing for authorities concerned to consider giving allocation to Exton Cubic Group to also mine for bauxite at Nyinahin, the Minority in parliament seems to have a contradictory agenda.
The Minority Leader, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, has threatened on Citi FM that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority MPs, would kick against the government’s allocation of a bauxite concession to Rocksure International, a Ghanaian firm.Video Player
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has said his administration will remain resolute in its mission to address the socio-economic needs of the people.
“It has been my policy to get to the grounds and listen to the concerns of the citizenry.
“Governance is about the welfare of the people,” the President noted, assuring that his Administration would advance the good cause of the state to transform the lives of Ghanaians for the better.
Addressing the chiefs and people of Akropong in the Ashanti Region, he cited the implementation of numerous development projects nationwide, saying these initiatives had the objective of bringing prosperity to the citizenry.
President Nana Akufo-Addo is in the Region on a four-day tour to interact with the people, and inspect ongoing infrastructure projects encompassing education, roads, industrial and health as well as sports facilities, amongst others.
At Dabaa, he inspected work on the construction of the J.A. Kufour Senior High School (SHS), a facility which is in honour of Ghana’s former President, John Agyekum Kufour.
He also toured Atwima-Boko to look at the upgrading of the 15.2-kilometre Kwadaso-Trabuom road, a project being undertaken by Messrs. Asabea Engineering Limited.
Another project visited on the second day of the President’s tour, was the Darko Farms Poultry Processing Plant, which falls under the government’s ‘One District, One Factory’ Programme, as well as the Creative Arts SHS construction site at Kwadaso.
President Nana Akufo-Addo said the government would monitor effectively, work on social amenities being carried out in various communities across the country.
This is to ensure their successful completion in order to improve the living conditions of the beneficiaries.
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has expressed his strong support for the existence of term limits for Presidents, because it enhances democracy and injects fresh ideas into governance.
Term limits, according to the President, promote “stability of democracies, especially the Presidential systems,” adding that, “speaking personally, I support the idea of term limits for Presidents, it prevents abuse of office and coup d’états”.
Speaking in an interview with Kumasi-based Ash FM on Saturday, 2nd October 2021, as part of his tour of the Ashanti Region, President Akufo-Addo said Ghana has been enjoying political stability since 1992 because the Ghanaian people have the opportunity, every four years, to use the ballot box to decide whether to change a government or maintain one in office.
“Using the ballot box has contributed to the stability of our country. People believe that if a leader is not doing well, they can vote against that leader in four years’ time. We don’t need a coup to change someone,” he said.
As a result of military takeovers in Guinea and Mali, President Akufo-Addo revealed that ECOWAS has started reviewing its protocols to strengthen the growth of democracy in the sub-region.
“To be honest, I am not speaking (now) as Chairman of ECOWAS, I support the idea… I feel ECOWAS protocols on good governance should outlaw the third-term mandates in any country. I feel strongly it is something that we ought to do to prevent what is happening in Guinea elsewhere,” he added
When asked why the regional bloc looked on while Alpha Conde changed the constitution to extend his term, President Akufo-Addo said, “there are varied reasons for the military intervention, but there is no justification at any stage.”
He continued, “We are opposed, in principle, to any intervention of the military to the political life of a country. The population is capable of resolving its problems through the ballot box.”
A fire officer with the Agona Swedru Fire Service in the Central Region has died while attempting to rescue three men from a well in which they were drowning. According to Citinewsroom.com, the sad incident occurred at Gomoa Obuasi in the Central Region.
The report identified the deceased officer as Assistant Station Officer Joseph Aidoo.
It is reported that the Fire Service was called to rescue the three persons who were working on the well before they mistakenly fell inside.
Officer Joseph Aidoo who was part of the team deployed to the scene attempted to save the trapped victims but ended up drowning and dying.
The three persons were later removed from the well and are receiving treatment at the Agona Swedru Hospital, the citinewsroom.com report said.
It added that the incident has left the deceased officer’s family in a state of grief.
Meanwhile, the District Chief Executive for Gomoa Central, Benjamin Kojo Otoo visited the bereaved family to commiserate with them.
He promised that his assembly will collaborate with the Member of Parliament for the area to give the officer a befitting burial.
Head of InterCity STC, Nana Akomea, has tasked veteran journalist, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, to desist from making judgment calls on the Ejura Committee report.
The duo were guests on Peace FM’s Kokrokoo programme last Friday where discussions into the report was on the table for discussion.
“If you have admitted here that you have yet to read the full report, why then are you making judgment calls on the report,” Akomea asked Pratt.
Pratt responded that his initial views on the issue were based on newspaper reports and that he had admitted so even before making his submissions.
Akomea however pointed to parts of the submissions especially the claim that the District Police Commander was being scapegoated by the Committee as a definitive judgment call that would have required a full understanding of the report to appreciate or disagree with.
Victims of the shooting incident during the 2019 Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election say the government has still not acted on the recommendation to pay them compensation for the harm caused them.
Security agents deployed to the constituency on the day of the by-election went on the rampage even before the election started and fired gunshots indiscriminately at polling stations and the residence of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate.
Following the mayhem, violence and injury, the Emile Short Committee, among others, recommended that victims of the January 31, 2019 violence should be paid compensation for the harm they suffered at the hands of government security forces.
At a meeting with former President John Dramani Mahama, the victims of the shooting incident said none of them has received any payment from the government.
The spokesperson for the victims, Abdul-Razak Garba, stressed that the victims and their families are struggling as a result of the painful experience.
He recounted how some of the assaulted victims went through life-altering experiences with some scheduled for more surgeries while others have been incapacitated for life.
According to him, another victim got stroke-stricken while one person died, as a result of internal bleeding caused by gunshot wounds.
The victims and their families were in the office of the former president and 2020 NDC Presidential Candidate to thank him for his support to them.
Mr Garba extended the group’s appreciation to John Mahama for his compassion and for paying for the cost of all their treatment including major surgeries.
Mr Mahama, in his remarks, extended his sympathies to the victims and their families.
He also pledged to continue to support the members in any way that he can but stressed that it is the duty of the state to compensate the victims as recommended.
Mr. Mahama expressed shock at the level of impunity that, he said, continues to define the Akufo-Addo and Bawumia government, adding that impunity, when unchecked, leads to unrestrained violence and that is why the killings of innocent Ghanaians at Ejura and Techiman happened.
He encouraged the victims to hold their heads high and cautioned them to look out for persons who caused the harm turning round to mock them that their party is not supporting them enough.
He promised that, no matter how long it would take, the NDC would pursue every possible means to ensure that those who committed the crimes are punished and all compensations due the victims fully paid. According to him, “Ghana must not forget about what happened
They include Professor Kofi Gyimah-Boadi, Dr Rose Kutin-Mensah, Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh, Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, Professor Kwame KariKari, Mr Akoto Ampaw and Professor Raymond Atuguba.
In their view, the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, which is being championed by some legislators, is an “impermissible invasion of the inviolability of human dignity.”
The private members’ bill, which is in the works, is proposing a 10-year jail term for offenders, including promoters of any sexuality that falls within the LGBTQI+ spectrum other than between a man and a woman.
The 36-page bill, which is yet to be considered by parliament, seeks to unequivocally criminalise LGBTQI+ activities.
Among other things, it says 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.”
It covers any person who “holds 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 legislators promoting the bill submitted a copy of the draft to the Speaker of parliament on 29 June 2021.
The bill is not only targeting persons of LGBTQI+ orientation but also promoters of such spectrum of sexuality.
For instance, it proposes that: “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, commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a term of imprisonment of not less than five years and not more than ten years.”
Additionally, it suggests that persons who engage in any activity that “promotes, supports sympathy for or a change of public opinion towards an act prohibited under the Bill” be held liable on summary conviction to a term of imprisonment of not less than five years or not more than ten years.
It also wants all LGBTQ+ groups, societies, associations, clubs, and organisations disbanded.
Flouters of this section could face up to not less than six years or not more than ten years imprisonment.
In the view of the 15 professionals opposing the bill, railroading it through would mean challenging Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The 18-page memorandum noted that “the proposers of this far-reaching claim have not provided any data or evidence to suggest that there is such a threat, beyond a resort to some dogmatic religious tenets and so-called Ghanaian family values.”
The opposers said: “Christ’s message was/is that we should love our neighbour and not be judgmental and promote the hate and bigotry that many self-styled Christians exhibit and seek to impose on Ghanaian society.”
They argued per Article 18 of the Constitution that Ghana is a secular democracy and “not a theocratic Christian or Islamic Republic or an African traditional monarchy or chiefdom.”
“In other words, while it allows Christian, Islamic, African traditional and other religious beliefs and practices to exist in harmony with one another as fundamental rights, our Constitution rightfully forbids the imposition of a religious dogma, whether Christian or Islamic or traditional on Ghanaians.”
They cautioned the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs against creating a “society where the state, through legislation, imposes one view of ‘proper human sexual rights’.”
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said that there are no justifications in the military intervention in the governance of a country in spite of the reasons the men in uniform always give for their actions.
Speaking in an interview with Kumasi-based Ash FM on Saturday, 2nd October 2021, as part of his tour of the Ashanti Region, President Akufo-Addo said Ghana has been enjoying political stability since 1992 because the Ghanaian people have the opportunity, every four years, to use the ballot box to decide whether to change a government or maintain one in office.
“Using the ballot box has contributed to the stability of our country. People believe that if a leader is not doing well, they can vote against that leader in four years’ time. We don’t need a coup to change someone,” he said.
As a result of military takeovers in Guinea and Mali, President Akufo-Addo revealed that ECOWAS has started reviewing its protocols to strengthen the growth of democracy in the sub-region.
“To be honest, I am not speaking (now) as Chairman of ECOWAS, I support the idea… I feel ECOWAS protocols on good governance should outlaw the third-term mandates in any country. I feel strongly it is something that we ought to do to prevent what is happening in Guinea elsewhere,” he added
When asked why the regional bloc looked on while Alpha Conde changed the constitution to extend his term, President Akufo-Addo said, “there are varied reasons for the military intervention, but there is no justification at any stage.”
He continued, “We are opposed, in principle, to any intervention of the military to the political life of a country. The population is capable of resolving its problems through the ballot box
The government pumped in about GHC22 million to revamp the poultry farm which currently processes 2,000 birds per hour daily as against 500 previously
Darko Farms, the oldest private and largest poultry farm in Ghana, has received a major boost from the government through the flagship 1-District-1-Factory initiative.
The government had to pump in about GHC22 million to revamp the poultry farm which currently processes 2,000 birds per hour daily, compared to 500 birds per hour daily previously.
According to the CEO of Darko Farms, Samuel Darko, the government’s support has been of great help to the company.
“For some time now, because of economic hardships somethings went down and by the grace of God and by the help of the Ministry of Trade we applied for the 1D1F and we were approved and we got some funding.
“Out of the funding that we requested we got our capex and out of the capex we have been able to finish our processing plant where we slaughter 2000 birds an hour,” Darko said during a visit by the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Saturday (2 October) in the Ashanti Region.President Akufo-Addo and other officials at Darko Farms
Through the initiative, he said, about 2500 direct and indirect jobs have been created, adding that “this injection has helped the whole community”.
The Farms will begin supply of chicken to the Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) once full production begins.
“When everything is complete and we get our capital (17 million Ghana Cedis) we will be able to supply KFC what they need, about 10,000 chicken weekly.”
Importation of chicken
On his part, the Minister of Trade, Alan Kyerematen, said the support to Darko Farms will see a no-chicken-import country in the years to come.
“Ghana currently imports over GHC 350 million worth of chicken every year, we have been told that the capacity of this processing plant is about 20,000 birds a day, so you can do the calculations, if we are able to support this company to maximum production, we don’t need to import chicken into this country again,” he said.
Having been a household name for most Ghanaians, having dominated most supermarkets and distribution outlets for fresh chicken particularly in Kumasi and Accra, Darko Farms went through a period of decline, due to major challenges that confronted the domestic poultry industry in the late 1990s including high cost of feed, inefficiencies across the value chain, high electricity and operational cost, as well as competition from cheap imported poultry products.Darko Farms
As part of Government’s Industrial Transformation Agenda, being implemented by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Darko Farms Company was identified as one of the distressed but potentially viable companies.
Revitalisation
As a result, the company, in 2017, applied to be part of the flagship 1-District-1-Factory initiative, and after a comprehensive review by the Technical Support Group of the Ministry, an amount of GHC22.1 million was granted as a loan facility to the company by Ghana EXIM Bank.
The amount was earmarked to revamp the company’s operations, by upgrading the plant and equipment, retooling the hatchery, feed mill and processing facility and as working capital support. The company has also applied part of this facility to establish an out-grower scheme, where a number of poultry farmers are supported with broiler chicks, feed as well as technical assistance to breed their birds.
Darko Farms currently has a processing plant operating at 10,000 birds per day with one shift, and 20,000 birds per day with two shifts. It has a hatchery with capacity to produce 6-million-day-old chicks a year, breeder farms with a bird population of about 30,000 per batch, a layer farm with capacity of 100,000 per batch, and commercial broiler farms with capacity of 350,000 birds per cycle of 8 weeks.Darko Farms
In addition, the company has a feed mill with an installed capacity of 96 metric tons of feed per day, and a storage cold room of 500 metric tons.
Thus far, the company has created direct employment opportunities for some 250 workers, and indirectly for over 500 people, including out-growers, distributors, and transporters. At full operational capacity, the company will directly employ more than 400 workers, with 700 being indirect employment.
Darko Farms is currently engaged in negotiations with the Mohinani Group to become the major local supplier of processed chicken for Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) restaurant chain. KFC through its local supplier has indicated its preparedness to off-take 100,000 birds monthly from Darko Farms under YUM certified conditions
“I trust in the leadership of Bagbin, I trust that he will leave some footprint on our governance architecture as speaker of Parliament,” Iddrisu said in an interview with Accra-based Citi TV on the Point of View show.
The Tamale South MP added that he was proud to have moved ‘the motion of destiny’ on January 7, which motion led to the ‘shock’ election of Alban Bagbin as speaker of the 8th Parliament.
Bagbin had opted to leave lawmaking after twenty-eight years serving in varied capacities including as deputy speaker as well as a Majority and Minority leader along the way.
But on January 7, 2021, as the current Parliament convened to elect a speaker, his name popped up as the preferred candidate by the main opposition National Democratic Congress as against the candidature of the then outgoing speaker, Aaron Mike Oquaye, of the governing New Patriotic Party.
After a rancorous voting process which involved shouting and hurling of invectives by Members of Parliament-elect, kicking of voting booths and snatching of ballot papers, not to talk of a military invasion of the chamber, Alban Bagbin was elected speaker.
Whiles the NDC insists he won the vote outright, the NPP said he was a consensus candidate between the two sides of the house. The NPP agreed to play ball because they had a presidential inauguration to attend, which event the Minority had said they will boycott.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has expressed gratitude to the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, and Asanteman for supporting the New Patriotic Party and his candidature in the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.
President Akufo-Addo made this known on Friday, 1st October 2021, when he paid a courtesy call on the Asantehene at his Palace at Manhyia, at the commencement of his 4-day working visit to the Ashanti Region.
“I am here to show my gratitude to you and Asanteman for your support in the last elections. You have supported the NPP since time immemorial, and in the last elections, but for your unshrinking support and that of Asanteman to me and the NPP, we would not have been in government,” the President said.
He continued, “I am here to show you and the entire kingdom my gratitude for that solid support that has seen us in power.”
President Akufo-Addo, in explaining the rationale for his visit to the Region, indicated that he is in the Region to familiarise himself with the numerous developmental projects going on in the Region, and listen for himself the concerns of residents, the traditional authority and opinion leaders.
The President also used the opportunity to assure the people of the Ashanti Region that he will not take their support for him and the NPP for granted, stressing that it is for this reason that several developmental projects have been done, with many still ongoing in the Region.
“There are many ongoing projects. We can all attest to the fact that Kumasi and Asanteman have not witnessed such massive road infrastructural projects in our political history. Other projects like the 1D1F, the ongoing Kumasi Airport construction which is 77% complete and by June next year, it will be completed after which its international status will be achieved’’ he said.
President Akufo-Addo also assured Otumfuo Osei Tutu II that, even though there were delays with respect to the Boankra Inland Port project, plans are far advanced for the project to take off.
For his part, the Asantehene praised the President for his commitment to the development of the region and the country.
He also praised the President for his tour of the country, adding that, “if you stay in your office, your appointees will tell you what you want to hear. This tour will help you verify what you hear and know the truth.”
“I know you and you do not disappoint. I trust you and I know you will honour Asanteman,” the Asantehene said.
President Akufo-Addo was accompanied by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Simon Osei Mensah; Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Owusu Afriyie Akoto; Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen; Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori-Asiamah; Hon. Francis Asenso-Boakye, Minister for Works and Housing; National Security Minister, Hon. Albert Kan Dapaah; and the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako; amongst others
Former First Vice National Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) Stephen Ntim, has charged members of the party in the Savannah Region to work hard to make the newly created region another stronghold of the party
The experienced politician expressed confidence that with the NPP having 3 seats out of the 7 in the region, the party can win more and make it its safe region as a party.
“It is NPP government under the leadership of Nana Akufo-Addo that created this new region and we can all attest to the massive infrastructural development that is taking place here. We have the new 3-storey Regional Co-ordinating Council administration block in Damongo, we have a new ultra-modern Buipe Accident and Emergency Hospital, Salaga Water Project and a number of feeder roads under construction in the region, a number of dams and so on.
“It is unprecedented and we believe that over time, we can comfortably win all the seats. We just need to work hard to prove to the good people in the region that with NPP in power, the new region will be developed,” Mr Ntim stated while interacting with the media at Daboya as part of the Savannah Regional Annual Delegates Conference on Friday, October 1, 2021.null
He commended the regional executives’ tireless efforts that secured three Parliamentary seats for the party in the 2020 election.
Mr Ntim also expressed excitement to be part of the conference and encouraged all party members to continue to have faith in the party as it is the only party that can develop Ghana.
President Akufo-Addo has been cautioned by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, not to act on reports from his appointees without independent verification.
According to the Asantehene, leaders might be misled by trustworthy officials who only give favorable feedback.
He therefore admonished the President to regularly visit key projects to access first-hand information on progress of work.
The Asantehene believes regular visits to project sites will help the President to accurately update himself on the state of progress.
Through such visits, appropriate decisions will be taken to the benefit of the people and government.
“It is good for the President to visit the projects himself. If you listen to reports from the people, they will always deliver the positives. But if you visit the projects, you will see the negatives and make necessary changes”, he said.
The Asantehene however wants the President to ensure development in the Ashanti Region by delivering on his mandate.
“Ashanti Region has seen some development in your term. We are trusting you to complete the outstanding ones”, he added.
The comments by the Asantehene follow a courtesy call by the President as part of his tour of the Ashanti Region.
President Nana Akufo-Addo on his part indicated government’s commitment to ensuring every region gets its fair share of the national cake.
“We haven’t been able to deliver on all the promises but we are doing well. In the area of roads, there have been massive improvement. There were delays at the Boakra inland port but we have found solutions so we will start soon”, he emphasised.
As part of the visit, the President inspected progress of work at the Kumasi Airport.
The upgrade of the airport to international status is 77 percent complete and is expected to be completed by August next year.
Project Consultant, Nana Ametepe, said the existing airport building would be demolished when the new edifice is completed.
The Ministry of Trade and Industry has called for calm between the Ghana Union of Traders Association, GUTA, and the Nigeria Union of Traders Association, Ghana.
The two are currently at loggerheads with threats from GUTA to close down shops of Nigerian traders.
GUTA says the Nigerian traders were operating in the retail market and ought to be stopped.
According to them, authorities responsible for enforcing the law have refused to do their work.
They threatened to close down all shops of foreigners especially that of Nigerians.
In a statement, the Ministry said representatives from Ghana International Trade Commission and the Nigerian High Commission met on three occasions to address the impasse between Ghanaian traders and Nigerian traders.
However, the three meetings were inconclusive.
But the Ministry says it has scheduled a meeting for October 5, 2021.
Against this backdrop, the Ministry has asked GUTA to halt its plans in closing down the shops of Nigerian traders.
It has also asked the two trade bodies to desist from issuing press releases until the meeting is held and issues are addressed.
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has inspected ongoing work on construction of the Kumasi International Airport, which, according to the contractor, is currently 77% complete, and is expected to be completed in June 2022.
President Akufo-Addo visited the site of the construction on Friday, 1st October 2021, when he commenced his 4-day working visit to the Ashanti Region, as part of his annual working visits to all the Regions of the country.
It will be recalled that on 6th June 2018, the President cut the sod for the commencement of work on Phase Two of the Kumasi Airport Project, where he indicated that “the expansion of this airport is a critical part of government’s vision to expand the frontiers of the aviation industry in the country, and to realise the dream of making Ghana an aviation hub in West Africa.”
Inspecting work on the site, the President was told that the terminal building was 88% complete, the road network 93% complete, the Apron 89% complete, with the air traffic control and rescue and firefighting services 53% complete.
The scope of work include the extension of existing runway pavement from 1,981 metres to 2,320 metres, the construction of a new taxi link and apron, two new apron parking stands, aeronautical ground lighting systems, the design and building of a terminal with the capacity to handle eight hundred thousand passengers per annum, an 11 MW substation, as well the provision of new bulk utility (electricity, water, sewage treatment system, internet etc.) services, independent of the existing utility services for the existing airport facilities.
Phase three (3) of the project involves the construction of the air traffic control building, a fire building station, as well as the expansion of the existing runway pavement. The construction of the fuel farm is to be funded by GOIL.
With the project being constructed by Messrs. Contracta Construction UK Limited, the total project sum is €124.9 million, with financing from Santander, Deutche Bank, and UKEF.
President Akufo-Addo expressed satisfaction with the progress of work undertaken so far, and charged the Ministry of Transport as well as the Contractor to ensure that the October 2022 deadline for completion is met.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo appears to have announced contenders for the next leader of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) as his tenure comes to an end.
The Minister of Trade and Industries, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen, as well as the Minister of Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, have reportedly harboured ambitions to become the flagbearer of the ruling party.
Both men are part of the President’s team touring the Ashanti Region.
At the Manhyia Palace, the seat of the Asantehene, on Friday, October 1 at the start of the four-day tour, President Akufo-Addo made a huge announcement.
“Nana let me introduce my team,” he started. “This is your grandson Dr Afriyie Akoto, my Agric Minister who wants to become the president.”
Sitting next to the Agric Minister was Mr Kyerematen as introduced by the President.
“Nana, this is Alan Kyeremanten, he has been vying for my seat for a very long time, a very workaholic minister,” he chuckled amidst loud noise from the crowd gathered at Manhyia.
The NPP has barred party members from campaigning ahead of the presidential primaries in 2023.
The party has issued a code of conduct to all aspiring members and warned of punitive measures if any campaign.
The leading contenders include Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
President Akufo-Addo, who has led the party since 2008, continues his tour of the Ashanti Region on Saturday with a visit to Darko Farms and inspection of the Abuakwa-Tanoso Road.
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says the Police Service will take delivery of two (2) gazelle light attack helicopters and one (1) Airbus 350 helicopter, in November this year, to enhance its work.
According to President Akufo-Addo, hangars for the helicopters, located at the National Police Training School, have been completed, and six (6) officers, who will fly these helicopters, have completed their training in South Africa.
The President made this known on Friday, 1st October 2021, when he delivered a speech at the graduation ceremony of the 50th Cadet Officers’ Course, at the Police Training Academy, at Tesano, Accra.
Speaking at the event, the President noted that Government, in recognition of the difficulties and dangers confronting police personnel in the discharge of their duties, remains committed to resourcing the Service, by the provision of adequate personnel and logistics to enable them deliver on their mandate.
“To this end, since I came to office in January 2017, a total of five hundred and sixty-eight (568) vehicles, including fifteen (15) operational buses, have been presented by Government to the Service, a feat unprecedented in its history,” he said.
Apart from the existing Formed Police Unit (FPU) in Accra, President Akufo-Addo revealed that an additional twenty-two (22) light armoured vehicles have been procured for use by the FPUs to be established in November in the Northern, Upper East and Ashanti Regions.
In the next one-and-half years, FPUs will be established in the remaining regions that do not have FPUs.
“Two hundred (200) motorbikes have also been distributed to members of the Community Policing initiative to boost the presence of the police in our communities. Modern communication equipment and four thousand, five hundred (4,500) fragmentation jackets have been procured and delivered to the Service to protect officers, and help ensure effective policing,” President Akufo-Addo said.
He continued, “At the beginning of my mandate, in 2017, there were eight hundred (800) CCTV installations in the country for surveillance. At the end of my first term, the figure had gone up to six thousand, five hundred (6,500), and, by the end of the year, another three thousand, five hundred (3,500) would have been added, making a total of almost eleven thousand (11,000) in the country.”
Government, the President added, has strengthened the cybercrime-fighting capabilities of the Service, through the setting up of a Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) Centre at the National Communications Authority (NCA).
Towards protecting the country’s maritime waters, and its offshore oil and gas installations, the President revealed that the Ministry of the Interior has procured three (3) Alligator Silver boats in fulfilment of the pledge he made to expand and resource the Marine Police, in order to help them work with the Ghana Navy.
In addition to retooling the forensics lab of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), he said that, for the first time in the history of the Department, crime officers are given a monthly allowance to support their investigations.
“On addressing the housing needs of the Service, the construction of three hundred and twenty (320) housing units at the National Police Training School is at an advanced stage of completion. Work is ongoing on the construction of a barracks at Kwabenya, to replace the one adjacent to the DVLA at 37, which is not fit for purpose. A new mechanical workshop for the Service is also being constructed at Bohye, near Haatso,” he added.
In addition to the yearly increments of salaries for all police personnel, Government, he said, has placed them, like the other members of the security services, under the CAP 30 pension scheme.
“Clearance has been given for the Police Service to recruit some five thousand (5,000) more personnel to augment the manpower base of the Service, in a bid to meet the recommended UN police-civilian ratio of one-to-five hundred (1:500). Prior to this, a total of four thousand (4,000) persons were recruited into the Police Service from 2018 to 2020,” he added.
• Music legend Nana Ampadu passed away earlier this week
• The Highlife legend was 76-years-old
• Mr Aiedu Nketia has disclosed that he was once a music promoter of the singer
General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has mourned the late Highlife legend, Nana Kwame Ampadu, who passed away on September 28, 2021.
Nana Ampadu also known as ‘Adwomtofo Nyinaa Hene’ translated as ‘The king of all musicians’ was a composer of over 800 songs. The former leader of the African Brothers Band, formed in 1963 died at age 76 on Tuesday morning.
According to Mr Asiedu Nketia who disclosed his working relationship with the highlife-great, he was one-time a music promoter for Nana Ampadu.
Speaking in an interview on Okay FM, the Ghanaian politician stated: “As a music promoter, I worked with Nana Ampadu, Alex Konadu, Adofo and other highlife legends in the country before I even came into active politics.”
The NDC General Secretary noted that the death of the veteran music came as a shock to him. “I was more worried about Adofo who hasn’t been feeling well for some time now only for me to hear of Ampadu’s death at the airport, so I was shocked.”
The late veteran musician has several songs to his credit.
Popular among them include: ‘Oman Bo Adwo’, ‘Obra’, Kofi Nkrabea’, ‘Susu Ma No Nye Wode’, ‘Mother’, ‘Yaa Amponsah’.
It was a dramatic scene in the early hours of Thursday, September 30, 2021, when members of the Operation halt, together with deputy lands minister, Hon. George Mireku Duker, clamped down on illegal mining activities in cocoa farms and along the Pra River in the Birim North and Asante-Akyem districts and as a result, deprived the galamseyers of their heavily prepared meal.
The Operation which halted the breakfast feast which was made of beans mixed with rice cooked together by these illegal miners was found getting cold whiles illegal miners run for their lives.
Seven (7) arrests made were predominantly foreigners from Burkina Faso, Benin et al. They are in Police custody and will be prosecuted.
Thirty (30) changfan machines and surface structures were destroyed and burnt.
The Member of Parliament for Tarkwa Nsuaem made the averment that the crackdown on illegal mining is going to continue until the government and Ghanaians are satisfied with the state of our water bodies.
“It’s very worrying that Ghanaians are drinking from diverted water that has been polluted by mercury. Farmers are also complaining that their farms are being destroyed. The Pra River has been diverted and polluted and I believe it’s time for all Ghanaians to come on board to help fight it. We cannot fight it alone. All hands must be on deck to fight illegal mining.
“I’m happy the security apparatus is helping us and I’m calling on all Ghanaians must be alert and help fight this. These people are going to be prosecuted and we are going to continue unabated”, he said.
Hon. George Mireku Duker is on a tour in the Eastern Region to have first-hand information on the operations of the anti-galamsey taskforce.
The visit will see him stage an unannounced visit to some mining sites as well as water bodies in the Region.
The ace Ghanaian broadcaster made this known as she disclosed that someone she helped to get a job has gone to steal close to GH100,000 from his employer. The employer expressed shock as he disclosed that the employee earns GH4500 as a monthly salary.
The undisclosed employer in a text to the news anchor wrote “Nana Aba, howdy? The gentleman you made me recruit from your Twitter dm has been stealing from me. He teamed up with two of his colleagues and stole close to 100K from my business.”
He continues that “despite a lack of vacancy, I recruited this guy because you sounded emotional about his situation on the phone. For someone earning 4,500 net, I expected him to be focused to make you & his mum proud”
“This is unacceptable. I love you but I got him & his colleagues arrested this morning. Have a great Friday. 7:46 AM,” he concluded.
Sharing the screenshot of his message, Nana Aba wrote “How can anyone do this to me? I don’t deserve this. I AM DONE. I’m so ashamed … So so unfair to me … I’m really hurt. I’m hurt. It’s just unfair to me. How do you do this? I can’t answer his mum’s calls. I wouldn’t know what to say. I feel let down. Completely.”
Expressing further disappointment in the young man whose identity has not been disclosed yet, she said “you stay unemployed for 6 years after getting your masters and then you do this? I swear I’m not angry. I’m just heartbroken because I wanted this guy to succeed for his mum’s sacrifices”.
Her tweets have since gone viral, attracting a myriad of reactions from tweeps. See the posts below for what Netizens have been saying.
Actress Moesha Buduong has said her body, mind and soul belongs to God Almighty.
In a recorded phone conversation with talent manager, Ayisha Modi, the actress who is now a born-again Christian noted that she will propagate the word of God once she returns to the scene. Moesha has not made any public appearance following her divine encounter with God some months ago.
She has called on Ayisha not to respond to allegations levelled against her by some persons in the entertainment industry.
It could be recalled that Ayisha in a series of rants on her Instagram page, savagely called out actress Afia Schwarzenegger and Tracey Boakye for stabbing their friend in the back.
According to her, the two have been peddling lies about Moesha who was reported to have been under spiritual attack.
“When I come, I will start with the work of God, little by little. Now I am a born again Christian. The Lord says don’t go about telling people that Moesha is going to do the work of God but rather tell them that I am coming to spread the word. I will go to church and no longer wear mini skirts, I will no longer sleep with people’s husbands, now my body is the temple of the Lord, Just, say that, when people are insulting me, just let it go,” Moesha told Ayisha.
She again thanked her for her unflinching love and support.
She said: “I love you so much, I can’t wait to hug you. We haven’t really met, look at how you are, you’ve not even met me yet.”
The SIM Card re-registration has begun Friday, October 1, 2021.
The 6-month exercise will end on March 31, 2022.
Head of Public Relations Department of the NIA, Abudu Abdul-Ganiyu, told GBC News that the registration is aimed at ridding the country’s cyberspace of fraudsters, and to monitor and track down persons who use their phones for criminal activities.
He said the NIA has the capacity to handle all 17 million Ghana card holders if they all intend to complete the exercise within the next 24 hours.
Mr Ganiyu advised the public to avoid buying already registered sim cards from vendors as it constitutes a crime
The Chief Justice Kwesi Anin-Yeboah has asked the 278 new lawyers who have been called to the Bar not to entertain any corrupt behaviour in the line of their work.
He recited a verse in the Holy Bible which says “Good name is better than riches” to stress the point to them to eschew any corrupt act.
“A Good name is better than riches. Please remember this Bible verse as you begin your journey, it will help you to avoid all the temptations and short cut that you are likely to encounter along the way.
“Resolve to be honest at all times,” he said.
He further told them that complaints made against lawyers will be taken seriously by the disciplinary committee of the General Legal Council (GLC).
“Remember that the disciplinary committee of the General Legal Council takes actions when complaints are lodged against lawyers, it does not sweep these complaints under the carpet,” he said.
The new lawyers were called to the bar on Friday October 1, 2021
• The act is a testament of how well Ghana has performed globally in cybersecurity rankings
• Ursula Owusu-Ekuful says this will help the government’s drive for digitalisation
The Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has hailed the collective work of stakeholders in the cybersecurity sector that has seen Ghana move from a 32.6 percent in cybersecurity rankings in 2017 to 86.69 today.
She explained that with a conscious effort to put Ghana’s ranking in the space better, her outfit has been working tirelessly in achieving this feat, contributing also to the cybersecurity act in 2020.
“The passage of the act in 2020 is indeed a milestone achievement that has set us on the path to a safer and resilient eco-system; digitally. We all need to familiarize ourselves with that law and that’s why this month has been set aside to conduct education and interactions with all sectors of the economy who are impacted by cybersecurity issues
“I’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the enormous contributions and the relentless efforts of our stakeholders in accomplishing this feat which has gained us international recognition,” she said.
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful was speaking at Official Launch of the National Cyber Security Awareness Month 2021, the Launch of the Ghana Cyber Security Authority, and the Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) Directive in Accra when she made these comments.
She added that it also had to take the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s, prioritizing cybersecurity and insisting on the expedited establishment of a legal and regulatory framework for cybersecurity for this to come into force.
She also explained the close correlation between cybersecurity and digitalization being a reason there has been the need to have these initiatives established
“We’ve often said that cybersecurity is the other side of the coin of digitalization. You can’t digitalize and ignore cybersecurity because then you leave yourself exposed to all those threats,” she said.
The minister, who is also the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West, explained how consensus-building in parliament saw to the record-time passing of the bill, adding that it gives it a national feel.
“The law was also passed in record time due to the extensive consultation and collaboration which preceded the formal laying of the bill in parliament under the direction of the leadership of both the majority and the minority caucuses in parliament. This law is truly a national one.
“Indeed, all the efforts have not gone unnoticed as our cybersecurity act 2020; Act 1028 is now considered world-class legislation at par with similar legislation in the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Rwanda, and other countries with robust cybersecurity legislation and that is what has resulted in our ranking as third in Africa on the ITU Cybersecurity Index, and 43rd globally with a score of 86.69 percent. Incidentally, in 2017, we recorded a score of 32.6 percent and that is when we realized that we needed to step-up our efforts in this regard,” she said.
The National Security Technical Working Group that worked on this comprised of representatives of the Judicial Service, the National Information Technology Agency, the National Communications Authority, the Data Protection Commission, the Bank of Ghana, the financial intelligence sector, the National Intelligence Bureau, the Bureau of National Intelligence, the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service, the National Security Council Secretariat, the National Signals Bureau, Defense Intelligence, Ghana Immigration Service.
Also, there was external intelligence from the Ghana Armed Forces, Office of the Attorney General, and the Ministry of Justice, and the Ghana Domain Name Registry, the minister said
• Government is to re-register all SIMs in the country
• Ursula Owusu-Ekuful says nobody should complain if their SIMs are blocked eventually
• The process ends in March 2022
The Minister of Communication and Digitalization, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has served a notice to all mobile phone users to take advantage of the SIM re-reregistration exercise instituted by the government or risk losing their numbers.
She explained that without any biases, they will deactivate all such SIMs that are not registered by March 2022, when the process would have ended.
“Let me just give a gentle reminder that all unregistered SIMs will be deactivated at the end of the registration exercise and we mean it; we will enforce the law to the letter. Don’t blame me if your phone (sic) is blocked. You were warned,” she said.
Ursula Owusu-Ekuful was speaking at the Official Launch of the National Cyber Security Awareness Month 2021, the Launch of the Ghana Cyber Security Authority, and the Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) Directive in Accra when she made these commentsnull
The re-registration of SIM cards in the country officially starts on October 1, 2021, and is expected to end after six months; March 2022.
Meanwhile, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful has hailed the collective work of stakeholders in the cybersecurity sector that has seen Ghana move from 32.6 per cent in cybersecurity rankings in 2017 to 86.69 today.
She explained that with a conscious effort to make Ghana’s ranking in the space better, they have been working tirelessly in achieving this feat, contributing also to the cybersecurity act in 2020.
“The passage of the act in 2020 is indeed a milestone achievement that has set us on the path to a safer and resilient eco-system; digitally. We all need to familiarize ourselves with that law and that’s why this month has been set aside to conduct education and interactions with all sectors of the economy that are impacted by cybersecurity issues.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the enormous contributions and the relentless efforts of our stakeholders in accomplishing this feat which has gained us international recognition,” she said.
Mr Akufo-Addo says he feels vindicated for appointing him due to the good work done so far.
President Akufo-Addo revealed that Dr Dampare will soon be confirmed as the substantive IGP.
“He has so far vindicated my decision to appoint him,” President Akufo-Addo said on Friday, October 1.
Mr Akufo-Addo on Wednesday, July 21 appointed COP Dampare as the Acting IGP effective August 1.
It is recalled that a security analyst, Adam Bonaa asked President Akufo-Addo to as a matter of urgency confirm COP Dampare as the substantive IGP.
“I am praying the President will as a matter of urgency quickly get him confirmed as the substantive IGP so that he can restructure the Ghana Police service,” Mr Bonaa told Alfred Ocansey on the 360 News on TV3 Wednesday, July 21.
The Police administration under COP Dampare has gained admiration from Ghanaians following the swift and timely manner they respond to crime cases and the release of information across all the social media platforms.
Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, who led last month’s coup in Guinea, was sworn in as interim president on Friday promising to respect all the West African state’s international commitments.
Doumbouya, who led the overthrow of president Alpha Conde on September 5, was sworn in by Supreme Court head Mamadou Sylla for a transition period of unspecified length.
The new interim president spoke of his “commitment” that neither he nor any member of the junta would stand in any future elections that the military have promised to organise after a transition period.
His administration’s mission is to “refound the state” he said, by drafting a new constitution, fighting corruption, reforming the electoral system and then organising “free, credible and transparent” elections.
He once again said nothing at the time of his swearing in about how long he will remain the interim leader.
The new president also promised to “respect all the national and international commitments to which the country has subscribed.”
‘Consolidate democracy’
Wearing a beige dress uniform, red beret and dark glasses, the new national leader also vowed to “loyally preserve national sovereignty” and to “consolidate democratic achievements, guarantee the independence of the fatherland and the integrity of the national territory”.
The ceremony was held at the Mohammed-V palace in Conakry on the eve of a public holiday celebrating the 1958 declaration of independence from France.
Doumbouya will serve as transitional president until the country returns to civilian rule, according to a blueprint unveiled by the junta on Monday that does not mention a timeline.
The September 5 coup, the latest bout of turbulence in one of Africa’s most volatile countries, saw the overthrow of 83-year-old president Conde.
Conde became Guinea’s first democratically elected president in 2010 and was re-elected in 2015.
But last year he pushed through a controversial new constitution that allowed him to run for a third term in October 2020.
The move sparked mass demonstrations in which dozens of protesters were killed. Conde won re-election but the political opposition maintained the poll was a sham.
The “charter” unveiled on Monday vows that a new constitution will be drafted and “free, democratic and transparent” elections held, but does not spell out how long the transition will last.
The document says the transitional president will be “head of state and supreme chief of the armed forces… (and) determines the policies of the Nation,” with the power to name and fire an interim prime minister.
However, the president will be barred from being a candidate at the elections that will take place after the transition, it says.
The turbulence in the former French colony has sparked deep concern among Guinea’s neighbours.
The coup is the second to take place in the region, after Mali, in less than 13 months.
The region’s bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), is demanding that elections be held within six months, as well as Conde’s release
President Nana Akufo-Addo has said the Ghana Police Service and other security agencies will deal decisively with criminals in the country.
At the graduation ceremony of the 50th cadet officers’ corps in Accra, the president said: “I’m aware the recent incidents of violent crimes in some parts of the country have generated safety and security concerns from several sections of the populace”.
“I want to assure Ghanaians that the Police Service and, indeed, all the other security services, are determined to deal decisively with the threats posed by dangerous criminals and criminal syndicates,” he noted.
Within a week, robbers on motorbikes, in separate incidents, accosted two people at gunpoint – a woman in traffic at Apenkwa and a man at Weija – and robbed them.
The woman had just cashed 29,000 from the bank.
The robbers took it all away.
The president has urged the general public to assist the police to smoke out such criminals.
“We can help them succeed in this endeavour if we urge the police and the other security services on and give them as much support and cooperation in the fight as we can”.
“The government, in recognition of the difficulties and dangers confronting police personnel in the discharge of their duties, remains committed to resourcing the service through the provision of adequate personnel and logistics to enable them to deliver on their mandate,” he said.
·
Presidential committee presents $20M proposal for National Vaccine Institute
The Presidential Vaccine Manufacturing Committee has presented a proposed amount of $200 million as the budget for the establishment of the National Vaccine Institute.
The amount is part of a total budget of $200 million that will be used to put in place the needed infrastructure, and equipment to produce vaccines locally in Ghana.
The secretary of the committee, Prof. William Ampofo at a stakeholder engagement on Thursday made this known while presenting a draft roadmap and strategy towards the local production of vaccines.
Professor Ampofo, who is also the Head of the Virology Department of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) at the University of Ghana, said the proposed amount will not be provided by the government.
He added that the committee is hoping to raise the money through unique partnerships and is expectant of getting approval from parliament and the President to make the plan a reality.
“This money is not going to come from the government. We think that the key strategy will be to find money from the partnerships that are evolving. The first thing is that we will earmark about $20 million for the establishment of the national vaccine institute over the next couple of years. The building has already been identified. There is a lot of work going on to make sure that this vaccine institute will go through cabinet approval, secure parliamentary approval and then become a reality,” he stated.
President Akufo-Addo, while delivering his 26th update on measures taken by the government to reduce the rising cases of COVID-19 in the country in July announced the plan to invest some US$25 million as seed money towards the establishment of a National Vaccine Institute to spearhead the country’s efforts at producing vaccines locally.
He pointed out that the establishment of the institute forms part of recommendations by a committee established by the government to formulate a concrete plan for vaccine development and manufacturing in Ghana.
“We must be self-sufficient in this regard in the future, and prepare ourselves better to deal with any such occurrences in the future. To this end, the Committee I established, under the leadership of the world-renowned Ghanaian scientist, Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, to investigate Ghana’s potential as a vaccine manufacturing hub, to meet national and regional needs, has presented its preliminary report which, amongst others, recommends the establishment of a National Vaccine Institute to spearhead this development
The Special Prosecutor has said officers of the Electoral Commission (EC) who indulge in malpractices such as changing election results will be arrested and prosecuted.
Kissi Agyebeng, who granted series of interviews yesterday, said his mandate is not only to tackle financial crimes but also look at all other corruption-related offences and corrupt EC officials fall within the ambit.
“If you are an electoral officer or a returning officer and you change results, I am going after you,” he said, explaining “Immediately you declare the results, I am going after it and matching polling stations and matching pink sheets with pink sheets and if they don’t tally, I am going after you.”
Office Set Up
He said he met an empty office when he assumed his mandate, and said only one person was on the payroll of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) with nine others on secondment.
“Some of the divisions include Finance and Administration; there is no HR. We have given you Prosecution Division but there’s no Prosecution Division. Investigation Division isn’t there. Asset Recovery and Management isn’t there. The law says the office can create more divisions but if the ones stipulated in the law isn’t available, not to talk of what you (Special Prosecutor) must set up,” he explained.
Work In Progress
Mr. Agyebeng said that “what we are doing now is that we are building the ship as we are sailing. The office was established in 2018. The Act was passed in 2017 and the assent was given in 2018. So, imagine my shock when I go in after 5th August to find out that the office has been established but it hasn’t been set up and it hadn’t been operationalised.”
“So, I’m setting it up and operationalising it. I won’t say nothing has been done; things had been done but the office hadn’t been set up,” he admitted.
He said the “Act provided for the establishment of some divisions and if the board were minded, to create further divisions, but when I took up, there are no structures, no division, department and all.”
“Nothing had been set up; nothing – even a front desk. Not a single division, no HR, there was nothing when I took up that job,” he said.
“There is only one person on the payroll. I won’t disclose who. So, you have a chief accountant, who is on secondment; and one investigator, who is on secondment from the police [service]. You have a lawyer, who’s on secondment from the Attorney General’s office and that’s that.
“The rest then will be gatemen, cleaners, stewards, an office secretary, a special assistant to the office. In all, I counted 10, first day. Second day, one resigned because I asked him some questions he couldn’t provide answers to it. So, within 24 hours, nine; but it’s only one on payroll. What are you going to do?”
“By the end of January, immediately I get a Board, I’m going to have, at least, 250 staff,” he assured.
Amidu Attack
Mr. Agyebeng reacted to some remarks made about him by his predecessor Martin Amidu when his nomination was announced.
“When I heard Martin Amidu’s ‘poodle’ comment, I shrugged. If you don’t know me and you sit in your house and write something for people to believe you, that’s you. I knew it will be a daunting task but I didn’t anticipate going into an office that’s not been properly set up. It meant that I had to revise my notes.”
He said just as there are people who want him to succeed, others are yearning for his failure, saying “if you have done nothing wrong, why should you be afraid? If you’re involved in corruption-related activities, I’m coming for you. I see some people on the divide praying and fasting that I fail. There are detractors all over. There are some well-meaning people who want this fight to go on well.”
Luxurious Lifestyles
The Special Prosecutor said people would have to start explaining how they acquired properties and are living in life of luxury.
“Those of you driving cars that we have no idea where you get them from. What work do you do to be driving a Bugatti? You will explain it to me. It’s also part of my job. I can give you a notice for you to report in my office to show me where you acquired the Bugatti from. What work do you do? Come and show me your salary . . . If you don’t explain it clearly to me for me to better understand, I will impound the car and proceed to court,” he warned.
All Targets
He made it clear that “the Office of Special Prosecutor is not targeting only politicians but public officials, politically exposed persons, meaning a person who the government has given a position in this country – the person can be a judge, police officer and so forth – and the person’s spouse, children and anyone closely associated with the person is politically exposed person. Also, political party officials like a party chairman at a constituency, a party chairman/executive at the national level; the Special Prosecutor can investigate all of them,” he said
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Wednesday, 29 September 2021, received a three-member delegation from the Guinean military junta, the National Committee for Reconciliation and Development (CNRD) at Jubilee House, Accra.
The delegation, led by Colonel Sadiba Koulibaly, Second-in-Command of the CNRD, was at the seat of Ghana’s presidency to update President Akufo-Addo, the Chairperson of the ECOWAS Authority, on the roadmap that has been put in place to ensure a smooth transition and return to democratic, constitutional rule in Guinea.
In his remarks, Colonel Sadiba Koulibaly told the President that ten (10) days of consultations with key stakeholders in Guinea had led to the drafting and adoption of a new Transition Charter, which reinforces the determination of the military leadership to return the country to civilian rule.
According to him, the Charter stressed, particularly, that members of the transition will be barred from standing for presidential and legislative elections, adding that a civilian Prime Minister would lead the Transition Government.
Col. Koulibaly also noted that the CNRD understands and accepts the decisions taken and sanctions placed on Guinea by the Authority. He, however, called on ECOWAS to consider the peculiar circumstances that led to the events of 5 September 2021.
Regarding the conduct of presidential and legislative elections within the six-month time frame stipulated by ECOWAS for the return to democratic rule, the delegation pleaded with the Authority to reconsider its decision, as Guinea does not have the capacity to do so within the time-frame indicated.
He explained that military leadership had taken the decision to conduct a country-wide census, restructure the electoral code, and establish a new electoral body in order to be able to conduct free and fair elections.
For his part, President Akufo-Addo re-emphasised ECOWAS’s unreserved condemnation of the coup d’état, as it was in contravention with the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, which demands that political power be attained through the ballot and not the bullet.
Taking cognisance of the newly-adopted Transition Charter, the ECOWAS Chairperson intimated that it was a step in the right direction, and was encouraged by the decision of the CNRD to update regularly the Authority of Heads of State of ECOWAS on the evolution of the transition process.
President Akufo-Addo remained unequivocal about the time frame for the holding of elections, maintaining that six months is sufficient for such an exercise.
He assured the leadership in Guinea of the commitment of ECOWAS to help overhaul the electoral process, by providing technical support to Guinea.
President Akufo-Addo emphasised the need for the military leadership in Guinea to take heed of the decisions of the Authority, as the full weight of the international community is firmly behind any decision taken by ECOWAS.
On the arrest of President Alpha Condé, the Chairperson of ECOWAS expressed worry about his continued detention, his physical safety, and his inability to express his fundamental human rights.
To this effect, President Akufo-Addo reiterated the demand of ECOWAS for the immediate and unconditional release of President Alpha Condé.
Col. Koulibaly reassured President Akufo-Addo that President Condé was in good health and is being properly taken care off, adding that President Condé still has access to access to his personal doctor and cook
Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Government has downplayed concerns expressed by lawmaker Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa over the use of Ghana’s presidential jet by Liberian leader George Oppong Weah.
Reacting to the claim, the foreign affairs ministry in a statement said it is normal practice for other African leaders to be allowed to use Ghana’s jet.
“In the light of the strenuous and concerted efforts by ECOWAS leaders to broker peace in the region, the Ministry finds it rather unfortunate that Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa would seek to deliberately muddy the waters with these negative comments.
“In the latest of such utterances, Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa sought to suggest that transporting the President of Liberia, His Excellency George Weah, aboard Ghana’s presidential jet to participate in the emergency ECOWAS Summit during the recent political crisis in Guinea, constituted an impropriety. Nothing could be further from the truth.
“It must be emphasised that the practice of sharing travel resources among West African Heads of State and high-ranking officials, is not a recent phenomenon. Indeed, in the past, some Heads of State have, in their capacity as Chair of ECOWAS, extended this courtesy,” the statement said.
The Director of Communications of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Yaw Buaben Asamoa, has indicated that most of the armed robberies in Ghana are carried out by foreigners from other West African countries.
He explained that due to the free movement of persons within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region, all manner of persons enter Ghana to carry out various activities including robberies.
He was commenting on the recent robber cases that have plagued some parts of the country especially Accra on the ‘Pae Muka’ show on Onua FM.
“It is not only Ghanaians who are involved in this, foreigners are part of it. There are others from other countries because it is easy to move within the West African sub region,” he said.
When his attention was drawn to the fact that the borders may have been porous, a situation that may be giving rise to the influx of criminals in Ghana, the former lawmaker for Adentan said “Security has gone beyond just the borders, it has to do with scaling up intelligence gathering and also the use of sophisticated gadgets to fight crimes.”
He further explained that although the Police and other security agencies are there to provide security, individuals must also take their personal safety seriously.
Security is shared responsibility between the security agencies and the people, he said.
Therefore, he added, the people must assist the Police with information on crime related activities that they may have chanced upon for further actions to be taken on them.
Without that, he said, the police cannot be able to gather all the intelligence on their own.
“You will have to be vigilant and be watchful. In case you see any suspicious activity inform the police. If you leave your own security in the hands of one person to do it for you, it will be difficult.
“In every country Police and security rely on informants for information on crimes to deal with the, we have to learn from that.”
The Ghana Police Service on Monday September 27 arrested one Bukari Salifu, who is said to have provided weapons to armed robbers for their expeditions.
Bukari Salifu, 65, was arrested over the weekend following police intelligence.
Prior to his arrest, two suspected robbers who had been arrested when they attempted to rob motorists along the Koluedor-Sege-Accra road had mentioned Bukari Salifu as the one who provides them with weapons for their robberies.
But while ostensibly taking the police to the man, the two rather took the crime-combat team to a bush full of other armed robbers.
“There, the police came under fire as the suspects attempted to escape,” a press release signed by Acting Director-General of Public Affairs ACP Kwesi Ofori on Monday, September 27 noted.
The suspected armed robbers were shot in the process and were rushed to the Police Hospital, where they died.
They are Joseph Dagodzo and Mujahid Abubakar, alias Sule. Their bodies have been deposited at the Police Hospital morgue.
The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, will tomorrow [Friday, October 1, 2021], begin a one week tour of the Eastern and Ashanti Regions.
This will be President Akufo-Addo’s first visit to the two regions after the 2020 elections.
It will also be the first time the President will meet with inhabitants of the Ashanti and Eastern Regions after the nomination of MMDCEs which was met with some agitations in the two regions.
Director of Communications at the Jubilee House, Eugene Arhin, in a Citi News interview said the President will inspect and commission projects and cut sod for new ones to begin.
He also added that the tour is to afford the president the opportunity to listen to the chiefs on their concerns and assessment of his government.
“The president will resume his regional tours on Friday [October 1, 2021]. As already known, he has toured 12 of the 16 regions. He is left with the Eastern, Ashanti, Greater Accra, and the Central Region. So from Friday, he will begin these tours with a week-long visit to the Ashanti and Eastern Region.”
General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, says the position of the longest serving Chairman of the Electoral Commission (EC), Dr Afari Gyan on the NDC’s proposal for a law to be enacted to back the role of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) does not come as a surprise.
According to him, Dr Afari Gyan has been consistent with his position on the issue of empowering the operations of IPAC with a law as he has always disagreed with other political parties during his time in office when the same issue cropped up.
Reacting to Dr Afari Gyan’s position on Okay FM’s ‘Ade Akye Abia’ Morning Show, General Mosquito as he is popularly called, however, said there is already a divided opinion on what Dr Afari Gyan disagrees with.
“The one he said he disagrees with; we have a divided opinion about it. One side is saying that any form of legislation to IPAC will reduce the independence of the Electoral Commission (EC). The other side is also saying that it depends on the type of legislation,” he noted.
“What are the specifics in the legislation that will reduce the independence of the EC? Nobody has come out with the conditions that will reduce the independence of the Electoral Commission. So, if there is a law to say that only three parties should attend IPAC meeting, how does this affect the independence of the Electoral Commission? You might see the law first before you can conclude that it will affect the independence of the EC,” he argued.
He was of the view that the law can be carefully crafted to protect the independence of the Electoral Commission just as Ethiopia has done to back the activities of their similar body like IPAC in Ghana.
“If the EC has recognised that they need external input, and if we attach a law to back the way we will generate that external input, how does that affect the independence of the EC? This is because it is up to them to say that they need external input or not,” he wondered
• Shatta Wale has rubbished a death prophesy about him
• Shatta says pastors are now marketing their brands with prophecies on celebs
• Jesus Ahoufe has prophesied that Shatta will be murdered on October 18, 2021
Dancehall musician, Charles Nii Armah Mensah Jnr, has taken a swipe at Ghanaian prophets who are best known for their prophecies of doom centred around celebrities in the country.
Shatta Wale in a tweet on September 29, called out pastors who market their brands by publicly claiming to have death prophesies of key personalities in Ghana.
According to Bishop Stephen Akwasi, popularly known as Jesus Ahoufe, it has been revealed to him in the spiritual realm that, Shatta is going to be murdered on Monday, October 18, 2021, by armed robbers. He has called on Ghanaians and also the singer to pray against this evil plot by his enemies.
But, the celebrated dancehall artiste in response said prophecies are supposed to be in secrecy where the individual is informed privately but instead, men of God are now announcing their dreams to the media space and on social media.null
He wrote: “The spiritual realm doesn’t come with prophecies, it’s secrecy. Don’t let any man lie to you No pastor has been there before and I’m yet to meet one, they all doing Marketing. Very fucken country.”
Earlier, Shatta Wale made a mockery of the death prophesy from Jesus Ahoufe. He wrote: “Ok I hear I will buy bulletproof and commando dress…thank you for seeing that Sadik want to shoot me in October.”
The prophet, Jesus Ahoufe, disclosed the death prophesy of the ‘Ayoo’ hitmaker on Accra FM.
“On 18th October 2021, something will happen in Ghana. The public should start praying for prominent musicians, those who do dancehall music. I see that one of them has died. The same happen on 18th October 2007 in South Africa, the same will happen in Ghana. In the spiritual realm, I saw that the artiste was shot dead by armed robbers. He has to go see a prophet for prayers. He is a big star, in Ghana when you reveal such prophesies you are attacked. I can see that the artiste, has a lot of enemies, people hate him.
“On 18th October 2007, South African reggae artiste, Lucky Dube was killed, the same is going to happen in Ghana. The musician in question has Charles as his first name, he is very popular… he should be very prayerful else the prophesy of his death will come to pass on 18th October,” Bishop Stephen Akwasi told host of Ayekoo Ayekoo, Nana Romeo.
Two suspected armed robbers have been apprehended by the Volta Regional Police Command in collaboration with residents of Tadzewu in the Ketu North Municipality.
The suspects, Michael Maccatus, 31 and Wisdom Agbotokpo, 25 reportedly robbed a victim of his motorbike after inflicting a deep slash on his head with a machete and took to their heels.
However, residents of the area supported the police to hunt for the criminals and arrested them on Tuesday, September 29, 2021.
Suspects are in police custody and the motorcycle has been retrieved.
“The Police Administration want to commend the people of Tadzewu in the Ketu North Municipal Area of the Volta Region for partnering the Volta Regional Police Command to arrest two armed robbers,” according to a statement issued by the police administration commending the people of Tadzewu for their patriotic spirit and support.
The police therefore encouraged the public to continue to the service to make criminal activities unattractive.
The Ghana AIDS Commission has called for an intensified advocacy and campaign as new statistics show that the rate of new HIV/AIDS infections among minors is increasing. Director-General of the Commission Mr. Steve Gyeremeh Atuahene disclosed this in an interview on Rainbow Radio adding, the rate is an issue every Ghanaian must show concern about.
He explained that new infections among children from 0-14 years were 3,596. Also, it was discovered that older men are infecting young girls by deliberately not protecting themselves. In an interview on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, he said 5,211 young people between the ages of 15-24 years contracted the virus with, 4,325 being females and 866 being males.
He said this major problem, and we must adopt measures to address the rate of infections in this age bracket. He advised older men to stop infection with young girls with the virus. ”The older men sleeping with the young girls are not wearing condoms. They are not using protection. They are deliberately sleeping with these young girls and infecting them. He indicated that persons who are infected are also not taking their anti-retroviral drugs as required by their doctors.
• The office of the Special Prosecutor is a security prone area; the Special Prosecutor has said
• Due to the nature of the job, close confidants are all vetted when an applicant qualifies for a position
• Wives, husbands, fiancees are all vetted
Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has noted that persons who will apply for jobs at his outfit will undergo scrutiny.
Speaking on Peace FM’s Kokrokroo morning show, monitored by GhanaWeb, the Special Prosecutor said, applicants who are married will have their spouses equally vetted, to ensure that they are not posing security risks to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
Also, the young ones who are in a relationship will have to disclose it during their vetting for the necessary actions to be taken.
The legal luminary noted that, the applicant risks losing his/her job if he/she fails to disclose his relationship status; his/her spouse or fiancée and the OSP finds out.null
Also, if an employee is ready to tie the knot, he/she must inform him about it for a piece of advice.
Should the fiancée be found as a security risk, the employee would have to forgo the marriage and keep working or choose the marriage and resign from office.
He however indicated that the interview will be done in a free and fair manner.
Kissi Agyebeng said, “Anyone who applies will go through an interview. We’ll give everyone the opportunity to go through the interview…it will be done on a fair basis. If you want to work with the Office of the Special Prosecutor, you have to understand that you are about to work in a prosecutorial institution, investigative division, asset recovery and management division so it is a security set up so we don’t have an ordinary code of conduct.”
“Before you are invited, you will be vetted to ensure that you are not a security risk. If you are married, we’ll vet your husband/ wife. If you don’t disclose your marital status during the vetting and we find out, you will be disqualified,” he added.
“In a case where you passed the interview and you are about getting married, you have to tell us about your fiancée for him/her to be vetted. After vetting your fiancée and we realize he/she is a security risk, you will be given 2 options. Either you forgo the marriage or work. When you are an employee and you want to get married, you have to inform me about it,” he stated.null
Parliament on July 30, 2021 approved the nomination of Kissi Agyebeng for the position of Special Prosecutor.
His approval follows a recommendation by the Appointments Committee, barely an hour after his vetting by members of the Committee.
The private legal practitioner has replaced Martin Amidu, who resigned from the position in November 2020.
With only 404 judges and magistrates in a litigious country of more than 30 million people, access to justice may not be easily accessible to the poor and legally-aided, Chief Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah has said.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Annual General Meeting of the Association of Magistrates and Judges of Ghana (AMJG) in Accra on Wednesday, 29 September 2021, Justice Anin-Yeboah said: “With a population of over 30 million, we have less than 404 judges and magistrates administering justice in a litigious society like Ghana”.
“The course of justice may not easily be accessible to the poor or the legally-aided litigant, who may equally not qualify for legal aid”, he noted.
However, Justice Anin-Yeboah noted, “We have to do our best within the limited logistical constraints to serve the justice needs of our compatriots”.
Talking about some of the constraints, he said: “For example, from Central Accra, that is Agyabeng to Nsawam, there is not a single court on that stretch until Amasaman and this should not happen in any civilised country”.
Additionally, he said: “The same situation is true for Kumasi”.
“From Kumasi Central to Obuasi, there is no court on the way and that is a distance of about 36 miles”, he noted.
“Nevertheless”, the CJ added, “we still have to adjust to these constraints and hope that the state will apply a bit more resources to provide count infrastructure to support justice delivery in Ghana”.
At the same event, Justice Senyo Dzamefe, the President of AMJG, said: “We feel disrespected about the way our allowances are paid as if it is a favour being done to us”.
“For so many years, members have not been paid any fuel allowance. It has always been a refund. As usual, we use our own money from our taxed salaries to purchase fuel,” he bemoaned.
Regrettably, he noted, fuel allowances of magistrates and judges, refunded later after many months, were taxed, as if they were paid upfront, adding: “In effect, we pay double tax for fuel.”
Justice Dzamefe said just as the court insisted very much on timelines in litigation, in their case, that was overlooked when it came to the payment of allowances
The governing New Patriotic Party(NPP) has scheduled December, 18 to December 20, 2021, to hold its National Annual Delegates Conference in Kumasi, in the Ashanti region.
The Conference, according to the party leadership will be held in strict compliance with standard guidelines and Covid-19 health protocols.
Meanwhile, the party has scheduled the month of October beginning Friday to hold Regional Annual Delegates Conferences in all 16 regions of the country.
This is in accordance with Article 9 of the Party’s Constitution.
Notice of Amendment to the Party Constitution
The General Secretary of the Party has started receiving notice/proposals for amendments to the Party Constitution, in accordance with Article 19 of the party’s constitution.
Per the constitution, this should be done not later than two months before the National Annual Delegates Conference, the General Secretary.
The NPP will, from Friday, October 1, 2021, to Friday, October 22, 2021, hold Regional Annual Delegates Conferences across all the 16 Regions of the country in accordance with Article 9 of the Party Constitution.
The Regional conferences shall be held in conformity with the following Schedules (Dates, Venues and Zonal Arrangements), as approved by the National Executive Committee of the Party:
1) Savannah Region – Friday, October, 1, 2021, at Daboya
2) Upper West – Saturday, October 2, 2021, at Wa
3) Upper East – Sunday, October 3, 2021, at Bolgatanga
4) North East – Monday, October 4, 2021, at Nalerigu
5) Northern Region – Monday, October 4 and Tuesday, October 5, 2021, at Yendi & Tolon respectively
6) Bono East – Wednesday, October 6, 2021, at Atebubu
7) Ahafo Region – Thursday, October 7, 2021, at Goaso
8) Bono Region – Friday, October 8, 2021, at Sunyani
9) Ashanti Region – Saturday, October 9 and Sunday, October 10, 2021, at Obuasi West/ Bekwai, Abuakwa, Ejisu, Kodie
10) Western North – Monday, October 11, 2021, at Sefwi Wiawso
11) Western Region – Tuesday October 12, 2021, at Takoradi and Tarkwa
12) Greater Accra – Thursday October 14 and Friday, October 15, 2021, at Tema and Accra
13) Eastern Region – Saturday, October 16, 2021 and Sunday, October 17, 2021, at Nkawkaw, and Koforidua
14) Oti Region – Monday, October 18, 2021, at Dambai
15) Volta Region – Tuesday, October 19 and Wednesday, October 20, 2021, at Ho and Sogakope
16) Central Region – Friday, October 22, 2021 and Saturday, October 23, at Cape Coast and Kasoa
The Party wishes to emphasize that, just like the Constituency Conferences, the Regional Annual Delegates Conferences shall also held in strict observance of all the COVID-19 Health Protocols.
• A section of the public say he deserves a state burial
• The deputy minister of Tourism has suggested that call is in the right direction
The Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku Mantey, has stated that nobody can demand a state burial at the time of their death despite their contribution to Ghana.
Responding to calls for a state burial in honour of the late Highlife legend, Nana Kwame Ampadu, by a section of the public, the deputy minister noted that “it will be in order to give Nana Ampadu a state burial,” however, that decision lies in the hands of the state and President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Speaking in an interview on ‘Entertainment Review’ on Peace FM, Mr Okraku Mantey recalled an instance where the family of late veteran actor and producer, Osofo Dadzie, stated that his wish was for Ghana to give him a state burial when he dies.null
According to him, President Akufo-Addo explained that the mandate solely depends on the state and not a request made by an individual.
“During Osofo Dadzie’s passing last year, the Minister at the time, Barbara Oteng Gyasi led a delegation to see the president. One of his family members in a request told the president that due to Osofo Dadzie’s contribution to Ghana, he deserved a state burial not knowing that the president had quoted it down. When it was time for him to address the delegation, he stated that he as president doesn’t have control to say that he should be given a state burial when he dies. It is the state at the time that will take that decision because the family claimed that Osofo Dadzie said he wanted a state burial,” Mr Okraku Mantey revealed.
He, however, noted that it will be fair to give Nana Ampadu also known as ‘Adwomtofo Nyinaa Hene’ translated as ‘The king of all musician’ a state burial considering his service to Ghana.
“I have always kept in mind the statement the president made that day. Me as Mark, from where I sit, I don’t have the mandate to say we have to give Nana Ampadu a state burial or not but if the president in his own wisdom and those who will make a decision on his burial say he will be given a state burial, I think it is in order. There will be nothing wrong if the president decides to give him a state burial but nobody has the power to demand a state burial.”
The Highlife-great passed away on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, after a short illness. He composed over 800 songs, popular among them include: ‘Oman Bo Adwo’, ‘Obra’, Kofi Nkrabea’, ‘Susu Ma No Nye Wode’, ‘Mother’, ‘Yaa Amponsah’
•Haruna Iddrisu has denied allegations of corruption levelled against him
•He says anyone with contrary evidence can take him to court
•The Minority Leader says his allegiance is to Ghanaians and not Kevin Taylor
Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, has thrown a challenge to anyone with evidence of corruption against him to institute criminal proceedings.
Haruna Iddrisu on Citi TV said that he is ready to prove his innocence in court and that, anyone with who has incriminating evidence against him should report him to the police and subject him to prosecution.
“Anybody with any evidence can walk to the police station and say this is the evidence of wrongdoing I have against Haruna Iddrisu,” he said.
Haruna’s challenge was targeted at US-based political commentator who has, for the past few days, been making some wild allegations against him and Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak.null
Kevin Taylor alleges that Haruna and Muntaka are colluding with the government to fleece Ghanaians of huge sums of money.
Haruna, according to Kevin Taylor has been the beneficiary of numerous contracts from the government as a reward for his perceived flexibility in Parliament. Quizzed about whether or not he will take legal action against Kevin Taylor, Haruna said he would refrain from doing such as a staunch defender of press freedom.
He believes that any action to that effect, is a form of unwarranted credibility being handed to Kevin Taylor.
“I will not elevate some these matters beyond what you said. I respect a liberalized independent media state of our country to hold individuals accountable. I’m not saying that I’m above the law and I’m saying that anybody with any evidence of criminal activity about any public person including me, know what to do. He who alleges must prove so the burden is not on me,” he said.
The member of Parliament for Tamale South said that he owed allegiance to Ghanaians and his constituents and will not exchange that for money.
“My allegiance is to the republic and to the people of Ghana to serve them conscientiously as I’m doing and to the people of Tamale South for the rare opportunity of representing them in Parliament. I simply will not exchange their interest for money,” he stated.
Residents of Atebubu-Amantin District in the Bono East Region, were thrown into a state of shock after a-nine-month-old aborted baby was found at the Amantin Newtown cemetery alive.
The whole community trooped to the Amantin New Town Cemetery to catch a glimpse of the incident as the aborted baby was rescued by some good samaritan who saw the lifeless baby boy abandoned at the Cemetery.
In a telephone conversation with the Republic Press (RP), Mr. Mohammed Abdulai said the baby was first seen by some Fulani herdsmen who were feeding their cattle.
“I, therefore, followed them to witness the incident only to find the boy on the ground.
“So what I did was to carry the aborted baby boy to Amantin Clinic first before he was later transferred to Atebubu Government Hospital and was subsequently kept in an incubator.” Mohammed Abdulai narrated.
Mr. Abdulai said the case has been reported to the Amantin Police Station for further investigations into the matter.
He said the head of Midwifery at Atebubu Government Hospital Ms Abigail Opoku assured residents that the baby is in good condition at the hospital and would continue to monitor his progress at the facility
• The finance minister is expected to present the 2022 budget statement on November 15, 2021
• The presentation is in accordance with Article 179 of the 1992 Constitution and PFMA 2016 (Act 921)
• The ministry is seeking inputs from the public and various bodies before the presentation
The Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Ken Ofori-Atta is expected to deliver the 2022 budget statement before Parliament on November 15, 2021.
The presentation of the budget is in accordance with Article 179 of the 1992 Constitution and section 21 of the Public Financial Management Act, 2016 (Act 921).
According to a statement issued by the ministry, it is prior to the presentation, seeking inputs from various business associations, professional bodies, faith based organisations as well as the general public.
The inputs the ministry added will cover the budget preparation from 2022 to 2025 and should reach its offices not later than October 8, 2021.null
This approach, the ministry explained, forms part of government’s commitment to deepen citizen engagement and participation in the budget process.
Meanwhile, at the 2021 mid-year budget review, Ken Ofori-Atta disclosed that government will not be seeking additional funding and supplementary budget for the next half of the 2021 financial year.
According to him, the move is intended to contain the country’s rising debt stock as well as avoiding fiscal revenue slippages.
Ken Ofori-Atta during the presentation announced some key job creation programmes and projects government intends to undertake over the next three to four years.
The ambitious plan, the finance minister said will deliver one million jobs for the youth over the next three to four years which will be facilitated through the Ghana Coronavirus Alleviation and Revitalisation of Enterprises Support (Ghana CARES) programme.
The programme is expected to promote and support the growth of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), new ventures and start-ups.
Haruna Iddrisu, the leader of the Minority caucus in Parliament, has said that the National Democratic Congress will leave no stone unturned in protecting the ballot papers for the 2024 elections.
He said that a vigilant NDC will ensure transparency at the polls and not allow any form of illegality.
Speaking on Citi News, Haruna Iddrisu endorsed John Dramani Mahama the leader of the party in the 2024 elections.
Despite calling for a democratic process in the selection of the flagbearer for the party, Haruna Iddrisu contends that John Mahama represents the party’s surest candidate of wrestling power from the New Patriotic Party.
He charged all followers of the NDC to make it a point to protect the ballot boxes and win the elections for John Mahama.
“The NDC will call for greater transparency, especially at the collation of the results. Zero-tolerance for 2024 will be our declaration, and we will police the ballot. I always say that for persons who love President Mahama and want his return just as I want, go to your polling station and make sure he wins. Nothing more. If he wins at the 33,000 polling stations, he will be the next President of the Republic”, Haruna Iddrisu said.
“It is not about running to take photographs with him thinking that is how you are contributing to the success of the NDC, I don’t think going to take pictures with him means he has won. I think we should go back to our roots as NDC with operation win your ballot box”, he added.
His statement appears to be a backing of John Mahama’s earlier pronouncement that the 2024 elections will be a ‘do or die’ affair for the NDC.
The former President said the NDC won the 2020 parliamentary and presidential elections, but was robbed of victory.
“The 2020 elections were rigged for the NPP. We have however accepted the ruling of the Supreme Court for the sake of peace. However, come 2024, the NDC will be extra vigilant at the polling stations because that is where the elections are won. So at the polling station [in the next election], it will be ‘do or die’. I am not saying all ‘die be die’. I’m saying it will be ‘do or die’ because the right thing must be done,” John Mahama has
The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has revealed that there are people who are praying and fasting that he fails in his new job.
Speaking in an interview on Starr Chat with host Nana Aba Anamoah, Mr Agyebeng said inasmuch as there people hoping he fails, there are also well-meaning Ghanaians who want the fight against corruption to become a success.
“If you have done nothing wrong, why should you be afraid? If you’re involved in corruption-related activities, I’m coming for you. I see some people on the divide praying and fasting that I fail. There are detractors all over…There are some well-meaning people who want this fight to go on well.”
Mr Agyebeng also stated that he has revealed all cases before his office and would start with prosecutions in October this year.
“I said at my vetting that I was going to review every case. From 5th August till now, I have been reviewing all the cases. I’ve reviewed all the cases and from October, we are going to start rolling. The cases cut across. Everybody in Ghana falls under our mandate in respect of corruption and corruption-related activities. It’s not only about the public sector.”
President Akufo-Addo, on Thursday, August 5, officially swore into office, Kissi Agyebeng as the Special Prosecutor.
The 43-year-old Lawyer took over from Martin Amidu who resigned from office in November 2020 after accusing the President of interference in his work.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Asawase in the Ashanti Region, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak has descended heavily on pro National Democratic Congress (NDC) rabble rouser, Kelvin Taylor by describing him as a nation wrecker who is being used to destroy the main opposition political party.
According to him, some bigots in his political party are using Kelvin Taylor to churn out pure lies to cause disaffection between him and supporters of the NDC.××
The Minority Chief Whip described Kelvin Taylor as a ‘bigot and ignorant self-styled journalist’ who is misleading gullible people within and outside the main opposition party.
In a recent video, Kelvin Taylor accused the NDC Leaders in Parliament (Haruna Iddrisu and Muntaka Mubarak) of taking advantage of their equal numbers in parliament; to negotiate behind the scenes with the ruling government.
He further alleges that Muntaka has been getting contracts and bribes from the government to cover up issues in parliament.
Kelvin Taylor vowed to expose all the corrupt NDC MPs…. starting from the leadership; Muntaka Mubarak and Haruna Iddrisu.
In the video, Kelvin Taylor advised Muntaka Mubarak against using the Quran, and the name of Allah to cover ‘his corrupt deals’ with the NPP. He added that, in Muntaka’s statement, he only addressed one allegation (travelling with Nana Addo to the US), but failed to address all other allegations against him; which according to Taylor means, Muntaka is running away from the other allegations.
According to Kelvin Taylor, Muntaka Mubarak must resign immediately, before he (Kelvin Taylor) exposes his “corrupt acts” with the NPP government. Kelvin added that, he is ready to provide all proves to back his allegations against Muntaka and Haruna.
Kelvin Taylor, who is also the CEO of the Loud Silence Media, based in the United States further stated that, if Muntaka Mubarak and Haruna Iddrisu were not bowing to the NPP government, they would not have approved all the Nana Addo’s appointees; and that if they continue in office as leaders of the NDC caucus in parliament, he would expose them all very soon.
However, Muntaka vehemently refuted all the allegations and fumed at Kevin Taylor for ‘misleading’ the public.
“It’s just unfortunate that I have to respond to a bigot. Somebody who hates our country but pretends to love it. Someone whose stock is just to malign innocent people with lies. Someone that some gullible people tend to believe him.
“I swear by the God I worship that everything I’m going to say is the truth. I’m saying it not because I want to entertain someone like Kevin Taylor but because of the innocent 1001 gullible people across the globe who are finding it difficult to read between the thin lines of someone who is speaking the truth and someone who is lying. I’m not a fan of him. I don’t listen to him but unfortunately his last few episodes seem to consistently mention me and people drew my attention.
“Some well-meaning Ghanaians said don’t respond to him but I’m sorry I cannot continue to hold on when he continues these lies. I’ve had the great privilege of serving the people of Asawase over a decade,” the Asawase MP stated.
He therefore dared Kelvin Taylor to make public whatever evidence he claims to have after cursing him to suffer the same pain he has caused him and his people.
“Kelvin Taylor let me tell you. I challenge you to bring everything that you claim to have, I am very ready for you. Let me start by saying that I don’t work for you. I don’t work for you. I work for my constituency but you see the kind of allegations that you are leveling is shocking that you claim to be a journalist and you know the tenets of good journalism. The tenets of journalism is that when you have facts you claim to have, you give people that the so called concern the fact to authenticate or otherwise. You crosscheck and you don’t just go talking on top of your head because probably somebody might give you wrong information so you use it to run.
“You see, you are not decent. Decent people when they hear things they try to crosscheck. You are so naive about the things that we do. You see this lies that you’ve told about I’ll never forgive you. God will punish you and you will go through the pain you have put me and my people. You said we are agent. You are an agent of NPP who is trying to destroy the NDC. You claim you speak for NDC but it is only Nana Akufo-Addo you speak against.”
The Minority Chief Whip challenges Kelvin Taylor to step foot in Ghana and see how he will be bombarded with legal suits, saying that “If You claim you’re courageous then come to Ghana and make this your allegation and see whether we will sue you and to show how foolish you are. How old are you?
“You sit there because you’ve no manners, you are not cultured and talk anyhow to people like your father’s age mate.”
He described Kelvin Taylor an agent hired to destroy the party, asking the NDC to disassociate itself from him.
Touching on receiving contracts and favours from the ruling government’s appointees, he said that although he shares close ties with Napo, his constituency witnessed no benefits from his reign as Education Minister.
“Whoever told you that I met KK Sarpong and Napo … I can’t remember the last time I met him. We are brothers, grew up together, his father was like a father to me but I challenge you. You claim he has given me a contract, I challenge you to name any contract I have received from Napo.
“If you care to know all the classroom blocks that MPs fight for during GETFund formula for their constituency, not even one has been built during the tenure of NAPO. Because if I get it and I take to the district, they frustrate it. Check the contract I brought and see whether any of the contractors has any relations with me. Those classroom blocks, I brought companies but they were not done. I complained to Napo severally,” he said in a video shared on his Facebook timeline
The Minority Caucus in Parliament fully supports its Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee on the subject of presidential travels and the ‘fight’ against recent plans by the government to purchase a new jet.
Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu in his first public comments on the issue stressed that North Tongu Member of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa’s views on the presidential jet saga reflects that of the National Democratic Congress in Parliament.
“I think he is the Ranking Member for the Committee on Foreign Affairs and therefore he reflects our position on issues affecting the pursuit of foreign policy and diplomacy,” he told Citi TV’s Bernard Avle on the Point of View programme which aired on September 29.
On the substantive issue of the jet, Haruna joined persons opposed to the idea citing harsh economic realities which made the move a case of misplaced priorities and expenditure.
“What is it that we hear because the president cannot bathe in the air, he should go and buy a presidential jet and therefore we should be interested in the comfort of the president when Ghanaians are reeling under economic hardships,” he stressed.
He blamed the government for the lack of transparency on the issue of how much the presidential travels have cost the taxpayer. He admits, however, that such trips are necessary citing the specific case of the United Nations General Assembly meeting.
“The caucus will meet as a matter of necessity… He (Ablakwa) is providing leadership as a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, he is monitoring every detail of the president. I don’t respond to individual positions on the matter, I’m to lead a collective and I will lead the collective,” Haruna noted.
Speaking to the media on Monday, September 27, at the Jubilee House, the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin hinted: “Government is already in the process of acquiring a bigger jet for use.
“The Minister of Defence has made it clear that the government has decided to buy a bigger jet to save us from all these troubles. I wouldn’t want to go into details. I am sure when the Minister of Defence has the opportunity he will do that.”
Eugene Arhin was answering a question on whether the government intended buying a bigger aircraft to accommodate the President and his entourage on official foreign trips as the current presidential jet had proven inadequate for the purpose.
He explained that the move to get a bigger fit-for-purpose aircraft was part of a cost-saving measure on the travels of the President and other key state functionaries.
Eugene Arhin did not give the specifics of the aircraft deal but said the Defence Minister would shed light on the development at the appropriate time.
Fenuku Frank Jnr, a footballer, was arrested at Zongo Junction, Adenta in Greater Accra
Fenuku Frank Jnr, a footballer, was arrested at Zongo Junction, Adenta in Greater Accra, the police statement said on Wednesday
The police have picked up the prime suspect involved in the recruitment fraud within the Volta Region.
Fenuku Frank Jnr, a footballer, was arrested at Zongo Junction, Adenta in Greater Accra, the police statement said on Wednesday.
Frank Jnr and his three accomplices, who are already in police custody, allegedly created a Facebook page in the name of the police chief in the Volta Region, DCOP Edward Oduro Kwateng, advertising to assist potential applicants to be enlisted into the Ghana Police Service.
“Further investigation into the development revealed the sim card with the number 0557918534 contained in the Facebook ad which aided the nefarious operations of the suspect and his accomplices was found in the possession of suspect Frank Fenuku Junior,” the statement said.
“Suspect during interrogation admitted being the mastermind behind the false Facebook publication created in the name of the Volta Regional Police Commander, DCOP Edward Oduro Kwateng. Suspect gave further details on how he conspired with others to swindle unsuspecting victims of their monies under the pretext of allocating protocol slots for them in the ongoing Police Service recruitment.”
The 21-year-old suspect is expected to be arraigned in court on Thursday 30 September 2021.
The three other suspects are Amenya Bernard,18, Adikah Godsway, 23, and Wemegah Godson, 21.
Be vigilant
The police have cautioned the public to be vigilant over the numerous recruitment scams because the police in the region is not “responsible for recruiting persons into the service.”
The police spokesperson in the Volta Region, DSP Effia Tenge further noted that, in their fight against recruitment scam in the region “the police have arrested a total of five suspects in the past weeks,” adding that, those who have fallen victims of such crime must not hesitate to report to the police
The Police are investigating the circumstances leading to the death of a policeman, Constable Ernest Newtown Dwamena, of the Savannah Regional Police Operations Department. A truck is said to have run over Constable Dwamena, killing him instantly.
The unfortunate incident occurred Wednesday September, 29, 2021 whilst on official duty at Buipe in the Savannah Region. According to a statement issued by the police today, and sighted by DGN Online, the truck driver is believed to have lost control of his vehicle and crashed into, Constable Ernest Dwamena thereby killing him on the spot.
“Like other police officers, Ernest said goodbye to his family and left for duty hoping to see them after the close of work but unfortunately met his untimely death due to the nature of our work.
“Like other fallen colleagues, his name will be engraved in gold on our hearts,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, the Savannah Regional Police Command led by DCOP Ebenezer Larbi visited the family of Ernest at Kintampo in the Bono East Region to commiserate with them.
The Ag. Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare has reached out to the parents via a phone call and extended the condolences of the Police Administration to them
• He shared an experience that could have been near-disastrous for the former President Mills
In 2009, the late former president, John Atta Mills, was on a chartered flight from Accra to Tamale that nearly turned disastrous since the crew did not know the route well.
This is according to Koku Anyidoho, who served as the Director of Communications under the former president, the crew, of a French-speaking origin, nearly dropped the president on an old and abandoned runway due to their unfamiliarity with the route.
In an interview on Okay FM on Wednesday, September 29, 2021, and monitored by GhanaWeb, he explained how the late former president preferred using chartered flights instead of the country’s presidential carrier, the Falcon.null
“President Mills preferred traveling commercial because with the Falcon, when traveling long haul, you’d have to stop and refuel, and all that comes with costs. A lot of these things don’t have to do with the individual and his individual approach to the whole thing.
“President didn’t find it too appropriate that when traveling to places like the US, Canada, we should use the Falcon because of the number of times you’d have to stop and refuel,” he said.
Koku Anyidoho was commenting on the ongoing conversation about the government’s intention to procure a new presidential aircraft.
While speaking about why he fully subscribes to that plan, Koku explained the intriguing circumstances that surrounded what he says was the first trip by President John Evans Atta Mills after he took office in 2009.
“President Mills’ first local trip when he became president was to Tamale and when we got to the Kotoka International Airport, they said there was the plane and then the president got in. And on that trip, we had Cletus Avorka, in terms of ministers; I was on it myself.null
“And then we said we were going to Tamale; they had gone to rent a plane from somewhere whereas the Airforce was there. They were some two young pilots from wherever and they could not even speak English, it was French they were speaking. The trip that was supposed to be 45 minutes, we were at a point just flying around in the sky and people started murmuring, asking what was happening.
“And then we started descending and at that point, we started smelling the aviation fuel that was burning. We started descending meanwhile we were not seeing any runway not knowing there is an abandoned runway from Nkrumah’s time and these boys were going to land the president there. We then had to start directing them on where to land and where not to land,” he said.
He added that it was that day that the Ghana Airforce decided that going forward, no trip of the president would be taken without their involvement, even if they were not the ones directly flying the Number One man.
“That was the day the Airforce took a decision that never again that would the Commander-In-Chief make any flight out of the country without their concern, even if it is commercial, they have to have a hand in it and take a decision,” he explained.
•Muntaka says allegations that he has been enjoying contracts from Matthew Opoku Prempeh are false
•He has dared his critics to produce evidence to that effect
•He was reacting to allegations by Kevin Taylor
The Member of Parliament Asawase, Muntaka Mubarak has vehemently refuted allegations that he has been colluding with Energy Minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh (Napo) to enjoy funds from project contracts.
Muntaka says that such allegations are pure lies being spread by a ‘bigot’ to cause disaffection between him and supporters of the National Democratic Congress.
The Minority Chief Whip has said that despite sharing close ties with Napo, his constituency witnessed no benefits from his reign as Energy Minister.null
“Whoever told you that I met KK Sarpong and Napo … I can’t remember the last time I met him. We are brothers, grew up together, his (Napo) was like a father to me but I challenge you. You claim he has given me a contract, I challenge you to name any contract I have received from Napo.
“If you care to know all the classroom blocks that MPs fight for during GETFUND formula for their constituency, not even one has been built during the tenure of NAPO. Because if I get it and I take to the district, they frustrate it. Check the contract I brought and see whether any of the contractors has any relations with me. Those classroom blocks, I brought companies but they were not done. I complained to Napo severally,” he said in a video shared on his Facebook post.
Muntaka was reacting to allegations of him and Minority Leader Haruna Iddrisu advancing their own interest at the expense of the National Democratic Congress.
The allegations are from pro-NDC commentator Kevin Taylor who alleges that Muntaka has been getting contracts from the government to cover up issues in parliament.
Muntaka who rejected the allegations vehemently, slammed Kevin Taylor for ‘misleading’ his followers.null
“It’s just unfortunate that I have to respond to a bigot. Somebody who hates our country but pretends to love it. Someone whose stock is just to malign innocent people with lies. Someone that some gullible people tend to believe him,” he said on Facebook.
“I swear by the God I worship that everything I’m going to say is the truth. I’m saying it not because I want to entertain someone like Kevin Taylor but because of the innocent 1001 gullible people across the globe who are finding it difficult to read between the thin lines of someone who is speaking the truth and someone who is lying. I’m not a fan of him. I don’t listen to him but unfortunately his last few episodes seem to consistently mention me and people drew my attention.
“Some well-meaning Ghanaians said don’t respond to him but I’m sorry I cannot continue to hold on when he continues these lies. I’ve had the great privilege of serving the people of Asawase over a decade,” he added.
The General Secretary of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress has described the report by the three-member committee of inquiry into the disturbances at Ejura as a fiasco that will not yield any results.
Johnson Asiedu Nketia was emphatic that, “no public official has been punished for wrongdoing under the leadership of Nana Akufo-Addo. This report is no exception”.
Speaking in an interview with NEAT FM’s morning show ‘Ghana Montie’, General Mosquito as affectionately called questioned the committee’s report which concludes that the activism of Ibrahim Mohammed, popularly known as Kaaka, cannot be linked to his death.
“So, who killed him?” he asked host, Mac Jerry Osei Agyemang.
But the report explained that the death of Kaaka could more likely be linked to a family feud.
Public sector workers should have had no pay rise this year, former GIMPA rector Prof Stephen Adei has said.
He noted in an interview with Class91.3FM’s Kofi Oppong Asamoah on the Class Morning Show that no group of workers should have had any salary increase considering the fact that Ghana’s economy was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the country got plunged into an economic crisis.
On 18 August 2021, some aggrieved public sector workers demonstrated in the national capital, Accra, against the 4 per cent and 7 per cent rise in their base salary for 2021 and 2022, respectively.
They were also not in favour of the 6 per cent and 8 per cent rise in the national minimum wage for 2021 and 2022, respectively.
One of the demonstrators told Class News: “We only want to tell the politician that the country does not belong to them alone and that public sector workers also deserve a bit of the cake and that 4 per cent is nothing to write home about”.
“So, we just want at the end of the protest, to hear from the government that they have changed their decision, they are going back to the negotiation table and they are giving us nothing less than 25 per cent”.
However, Prof Adei said rather than agitate, the public workers should count themselves lucky to have even had a 4 per cent pay rise.
“The situation in the country is such that except that – I must qualify it – you cannot say zero per cent for them and other people get 70 per cent or get an increase”, the former Board Chair of the Ghana Revenue Authority clarified.
“It should have been zero across the board because the message should have been sent that we are in a crisis, so, we can’t have ‘Monkey dey chop baboon dey work’”, he explained.
He said the president’s decision not to accept a pay rise for himself and the executive was enough to have signalled to the rest of the country that it was time to make sacrifices.
“The president has come out and yet, in Ghana, good news is not good news. The president has said that all the increase which was recommended, he is not going to accept it; as well as his vice and his ministers, and you know, it was just a flash in the pan”, Prof Adei observed.
“He [president] gave the instruction right from the beginning and what he has done is that, still, automatically, the Controller and Accountant General paid it into his account so he was refunding it. But whatever it is, whether it is from the outcry [of Ghanaians] or not, if you are a leader, it’s a good example. It says that: ‘We are in difficulty and, therefore, I’m – whether he was prompted or reacting – going for zero’. Then the other people should know that their 4 per cent is actually higher”, Prof Adei said.
“But the parliamentarians should come out and say something quickly”, he noted
The Anti-Robbery Task Force of the Ashanti Regional Police Command, in an intelligence-led operation, has shot two suspected armed robbers who attempted a gold heist.
They later died of their gunshot wounds at the hospital.
Another suspect, linked to the same crime, Abraham Kwasi Tetteh, has been arrested while four others are being pursued.
According to the police, the gang attempted to rob a gold dealer at Manso Dawusaso in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti region on 24 September 2021.
Members of the gang, the police said, forcibly invaded the residence of the gold dealer at about 9pm, disarmed the private security guard of his weapon and fired shots into the residence.
At this stage, a police combat team that had mounted a 24-hour surveillance on the gang, retuned fire to protect lives in and around the property, the statement said.
Four of the suspects, according to the police, managed to escape but the two who sustained gunshot wounds were arrested and sent to the hospital but were pronounced dead on arrival.
One of the deceased robbers known as Lukeman, had been granted bail by the Dunkwa Circuit Court at an earlier appearance and scheduled to reappear on October 27, 2021, for allegedly robbing passengers on the Dunkwa-Ayanfuri highway.
A manhunt is underway to track and arrest the four that escaped.
The police said they suspect that some gang members who escaped might have sustained gunshot wounds.
“We are, therefore, appealing to the public to volunteer information on anyone who is seen in or around Manso Dawusaso with noticeable gunshot wounds to the police,” the statement said.
A shotgun, a pistol and a taxi cab were taken into police custody
Mr. James Dadson, acting Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, has stated that the Commission is working hard to address the myriad of challenges facing land administration in the country, and very soon, Ghanaians will enjoy very smooth services from the Lands Commission.
In that regard, he said, the Commission was putting measures in place to improve mapping and spatial data, production of digital-based maps for accurate data collection, establishing a National Spatial Data Infrastructure to ensure that agencies that required land data had a reference point as well as ensuring that all manual land records were transmitted into a digital one.
So far, 10 percent of the manual land records in the Greater Accra Region had been digitized, Mr. Dadson stated.
The Executive Secretary added that efforts were ongoing to decentralize land service delivery by opening district offices across the country.
To achieve the Commission’s digitisation agenda, he said, it intended to build the capacity of its staff and improve corporate governance culture, saying that, digitization and modernization of land administration was a catalyst for developing all sectors of the Ghanaian economy.
Mr Dadson further announced that government is in the process of rolling out a new policy on property rates for appropriate rates to be charged on every structure.
He said the process required multi-sectoral efforts and that the Lands Ministry would collaborate with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to promulgate a legislative instrument that would ensure that land was considered a vital ingredient in evaluating the value of any property in the country.
“The current law that regulates property rates cannot include land as a variable or ingredient for valuation of the property and so you value the property based on the structure and not the value of the land and I think it’s inequitable and unfair. Therefore the new policy would ensure equity in property valuation,” Mr. Dadson emphasized.
Additionally, a Committee was set up to take inventory of all state acquired lands and ensure that all vested lands were protected from encroachment.
Mr. Dadson announced this in Accra on Tuesday when the management of the Lands Commission updated the media on its digital transformation programme to ensure efficient delivery of land services.
So far, with support from the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), Lands Commission had completed an appraisal of property rates of 75 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) nationwide.
On the part of the Lands Minister, Mr. Jinapor expressed the government’s commitment to reforming the land administration system in the country by leveraging technology to digitize all land records for efficient service delivery.
The Minister said the government would work with the private sector in that endeavor and was of the belief that by the first quarter of next year, all the digitization interventions rolled out by the Commission would take shape
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested 396 suspected criminals between the ages of 17 and 55years after swoops in the 15 Police Divisions in the region.
According to the Police, the swoops were conducted simultaneously within all the fifteen (15) Police Divisions in the Region, between Wednesday 14th September and Monday 20th September 2021.
A statement by the Police said, the arrested persons were screened and profiled and those found culpable put before the various Courts in the Region. Some of the suspects were remanded into custody to reappear at a later date, whilst others were granted Court bail to report.
The Police have also revealed that the various Divisions have conducted motorbike swoops from Saturday 25th September to Tuesday 28th September 2021 and intercepted Seven Hundred and Ninety-Two (792) motorbikes and impounded same.
Some persons were arrested and have all been asked to produce the documents covering the motorbikes for inspection and verification, those found to be fake will have the owners prosecuted.
The Police Command assured the general public of it continued fight in bringing crimes to their barest minimum and to assuage the fear of the citizenry
A Ghanaian prisoner who was rearrested after escaping from a police cell in Nkafoa, Central Region, has narrated how a police officer helped her escape after giving him four rounds of sex. 27-year-old Theresa Forson who had earlier been convicted in a theft case and was in police custody at Nkanfoa Police Station awaiting sentencing, said 36-year-old Lance Corporal Isaac Apomah released her after she gave in to his demand for sex.
Presenting a case against Apomah who made his first appearance before a court on Monday September 27, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Daniel Mensah disclosed that the police officer was the station officer at the Nkanfoa Police Station on September 25, 2021.
He said around midnight, L/Cpl Apomah brought four sachets of ‘Abe Nsuo’ also called “One Show”, to the station and gave the plaintiff, who was at the time, a prisoner on remand at the station, two sachets to drink which she drank.
Around 3:00am, L/Cpl Apomah in a conversation with Miss Forson, said the detective handling her case was troublesome and that he could let her go scot-free if she would allow him to have sex with her. Miss Forson reportedly agreed to the deal and had sexual intercourse with L/Cpl Apomah, after which he opened up the cells for her to have her bath.
ASP Mensah said; “Apomah then gathered Ms Forson’s items, which were being kept in police custody, including a mobile phone, and put them at the entrance of the police station and signalled her to run away.”
Upon arriving her family house, Ms Forson went to her father-in-law and narrated the incident that had transpired. The man then took her back to Bakaano Police Station where the incident was reported.
Theresa was rearrested and handed over to the Kotokuraba Police for investigations. The policeman who is to appear before the court again on October 12, 2021, was charged with rape and aiding the escape of a convict.
The Upper East Regional Command of the Ghana Police Service has arrested two suspected armed robbers alleged to have been involved in a robbery incident on Monday, December 28, 2020 at Bukere, a suburb of Bolgatanga, the regional capital.
According to a police statement issued on Tuesday, September 28, brothers Ayine Awunnore, 27, and Daniel Awunnore, 20, had attacked their victim and snatched his motorbike and mobile phone and went into hiding last year.
But the Regional Surveillance Team of the Command, based on intelligence, arrested them in their hideout at Winkongo near Bolgatanga on Tuesday.
The statement issued by ASP David Fianko-Okyere of the Public Affairs Office said the suspects were identified after they had used the victim’s mobile phone to make a call but went into hiding when police were pursuing them.
A search conducted on Ayine Awunnore, popularly known as Agu King, revealed one Dell laptop, three Dell laptop batteries, a power bank, one motorbike mirror, two master keys, one Dayang Motorbike with Registration No.M-21-UE 4196 and Chassis No.LATXCHLYSK 1055769.
A further search in his room led to the retrieval of 27 rounds of pistol ammunition, one return spring, nine assorted brand new mobile phones comprising Infinix Hot10i, a Samsung gaxya7 light phone and cash GH¢250.00 all in a bag, one black cable whip, four memory cards and one royal motorbike with registration No M-21-AW 2507 AND Chassis Number BLB7GJC5AXMFR12480.
The Command, therefore, called on residents in and around Bolgatanga to visit the offices of the regional CID located at Damweon on the Bolgatanga-Tamale highway and opposite the Fountain Gate Church to identify the suspects or their valuables which are being kept as exhibits for evidential purposes.
Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has rubbished claims by the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu in the Volta Region, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa that there is disquiet within the ranks and file of the Armed Forces.××
According to the GAF the statement by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP’s statement is not only a palatable lie but also without basis.
Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, alleged in a story carried by an electronic media on Tuesday September 28, 2021 which was sourced from the Facebook timeline of the legislator that “there is some form of disquiet within the ranks of the Ghana Air Force with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s preference for luxurious aircraft operated by a foreign crew”.
However, a statement issued by the Public Relations Directorate, General Headquarters, Burma Camp, Accra on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 denied the remarks by the notorious MP.
“We wish to state unequivocally that this allegation is untrue and without basis,” according to the statement signed by Commander Andy La-Anyane, Acting Director of Public Relations of the Ghana Armed Forces.
He indicated that personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces are rather excited with high level of moral as result of the support the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has done for them in terms of retooling of the Forces for smooth running of operations and accommodation provided for the troops and their families.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the morale of personnel, not only in the Ghana Air Force as is being alleged, but the entire Ghana Armed Forces has never been at a very higher level. Personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces appreciate the numerous additions that the government has made for the smooth running of operations, including accommodation for troops and their families, vehicles to enhance mobility, review of salaries amongst many others.
“Troops also appreciate the efforts being made by government in retooling the Forces with the acquisition of a number of platforms including war ships for the Ghana Navy, Armoured Personnel Carriers for the Ghana Army, various aircraft including strategic lift for VIPs for use by the Ghana Air Force and many others.
“It is also important to state that the fighter squadron of the Ghana Air Force is currently being retooled by government to augment the professional posture of the Ghana Air Force.”
“The Ghana Armed Forces therefore admonished the general public to treat the allegations of disquiet within the ranks of the Ghana Air Force with the contempt it deserves”.
Serving warning notice to Ablakwa and other politicians over politicization of the Forces, the GAF further stated that “Additionally, we wish to entreat all Ghanaians, including politicians, not to drag the Ghana Armed Forces into partisan politics. Our mandate as captured in the 1992 Constitution is to defend the territorial integrity of Ghana and we should be allowed to focus on our mandate.
“Finally, we wish to assure the general public once again that morale of troops is very high
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor has said the government is focused on fostering closer collaboration with the Swiss government to further strengthen bilateral relations.
Key among the areas for collaboration were the adaption of best responsible mining practices and afforestation.
Mr Jinapor explained that the preservation of Ghana’s forest cover is critical saying that the government, through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources was working to protect and manage the country’s natural resources as well as reduce the impact of deforestation on climate change.
The Minister stated this on Monday, 27 September 2021 when the Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, Philipp Stalder called on him in Accra.
Mr Jinapor further highlighted efforts being made by Ghana to develop an efficient land administration system.
On the Greening Ghana initiative, the Minister commended the Swiss Ambassador for leading his team to plant trees and touted the many areas of cooperation the two countries can work at.
He said the Greening Ghana programme will be scaled up next year.
For his part, Mr Stalder said there is room for investment under the Paris Agreement in the protection of the environment and mitigation against climate change.
He explained the relevance of mining in the development agenda of both countries and pledged to work with the government to tackle the issues relating to deforestation and climate change.
The government has held an engagement with the media aimed at sensitising journalists on Ghana’s newly-drafted National Security Strategy (NSS).
The engagement is the first of three sessions put together by the National Security Ministry and the Ministry of Information in taking broad-based inputs from relevant stakeholders, the media inclusive, on the implementation of the NSS.
The participants included journalists drawn from various television and radio networks in the Greater Accra, Central, Western, Volta, Western-North and Oti regions.
Addressing the participants, National Security Minister Albert Kan-Dapaah said the government is using the engagements to primarily equip the media with the appropriate information on the document and how it will be implemented.
He emphasised the need for the media in the country to be circumspect in their daily reportage, especially on issues that have national security implications.
“The media, by definition, is an independent institution”.
“There is a limit to the role of other accountability institutions but for the media, it possesses the independence that enables it to hold the government to account”.
“It is a very important duty the media play, which is why we get concerned”, Mr Kan-Dapaah noted.
“That is why it is important that our media men and women don’t play with the security and stability of the country. Also, it is important that the media is able to do away with sensational stories that have very serious security implications and not because it will help to sell newspapers and get viewership”, he said.
The NSS document was launched on 7 June 2021 by President Akufo-Addo, as part of measures to coordinate national response efforts to protect and safeguard the country from threats, risks and challenges to its security and stability from both domestic and international environments.
For his part, the Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, whose ministry facilitated the engagement, underscored the need for extensive education and sensitisation on the content of the strategy.
He said the engagement is important because it provides stakeholders the opportunity to deepen their understanding of their roles in the implementation of the strategy
The Ghana Armed Forces has said the morale of its personnel has never been so high contrary to claims by North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa that President Nana Akufo-Addo’s preference for chartering ‘luxurious’ jets for his foreign trips, is raising concerns among the air force.
In a recent open letter to the president, Mr Ablakwa said: “Ghanaians deserve and demand to know from you why you prefer alien luxury aircrafts operated by foreign crews when our celebrated Air Force professionals with unquestionable loyalty trained at significant expense to the taxpayer guarantee better security for our presidents — an action creating considerable disquiet within the ranks of the Ghana Air Force”.
However, the Ghana Armed Forces said in a statement signed by Commander Andy La-Anyane, Acting Director Public Relations, that: “We wish to state unequivocally that this allegation is untrue and without basis”.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the morale of personnel, not only in the Ghana Air Force, as is being alleged, but the entire Ghana Armed Forces, has never been at a very higher level”.
Read the army’s full statement below:
RE: THERE IS DISQUIET WITHIN THE RANKS OF THE GHANA AIR FORCE – ABLAKWA ALLEGES
The attention of the Ghana Armed Forces has been drawn to a disturbing story carried on Ghanaweb on Tuesday 28 September 2021 which was sourced from the Facebook timeline of Honourable Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, alleging “there is some form of disquiet within the ranks of the Ghana Air Force with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s preference for luxurious aircraft operated by a foreign crew”.
We wish to state unequivocally that this allegation is untrue and without basis.
For the avoidance of doubt, the morale of personnel, not only in the Ghana Air Force, as is being alleged, but the entire Ghana Armed Forces, has never been at a very higher level.
Personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces appreciate the numerous additions that the government has made for the smooth running of operations, including accommodation for troops and their families, vehicles to enhance mobility, review of salaries amongst many others.
Troops also appreciate the efforts being made by the government in retooling the Force with the acquisition of a number of platforms including warships for the Ghana Navy, Armoured Personnel Carriers for the Ghana Army, various aircraft including a strategic lift for VIPs for use by the Ghana Air Force and many others.
It is also important to state that the fighter squadron of the Ghana Air Force is currently being retooled by the government to augment the professional posture of the Ghana Air Force.
The Ghana Armed Forces wishes to advise the general public to treat the allegations of disquiet within the ranks of the Ghana Air Force with the contempt it deserves.
Additionally, we wish to entreat all Ghanaians, including politicians, not to drag the Ghana Armed Forces into partisan politics. Our mandate as captured in the 1992 constitution is to defend the territorial integrity of Ghana and we should be allowed to focus on our mandate.
Finally, we wish to assure the general public once again that the morale of troops is very high.
Two thousand and thirty-four (2,034) LLB candidates who sat for the 2021/2021 academic year Ghana School of Law 2021 Entrance Exams failed in the exams.
Of the 2,824 students from the various law faculties across the country who sat for the exam, only 790 of them passed representing approximately 28% while the failure represents 72%
The Minister for Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako-Attah, has warned bidders for road projects without needed resources to stay away completely.
Speaking at a press conference after a three-day road inspection in Wa, he indicated that he will not allow any visionless contractor to halt government’s road initiative which has been extended to 2021.
Describing road projects as capital intensive, he cautioned that those interested in the field should not come unprepared.
“No matter who you are, no matter your size, no matter your pedigree, once you cannot perform, I have the moral courage and the moral authority to knock you off and be replaced by a more competent person” the Minister warned.
He said a total number of 106 projects have been awarded in the region and work is currently on going.
He assured that measures were being put in place by Ghana Highways Authority, Feeder and Urban roads departments to monitor contractors across all 16 regions in the country.
He also indicated that not all the sites were active but assured that all will be completed in due course.
The Minister added that, his ministry will from next week change the narrative hence, those interested in bidding should be well prepared to venture in to the industry
The Minister for Local Government and Rural Development Dan Kwaku Botwe has warned Assembly members to stop blackmailing the President’s nominees.
He threatened that President Akufo Addo is clothed with powers by the Constitution to dissolve any assembly found to have defaulted its functions, and transfer such functions to an individual or a body to run the assembly.
“So nobody should think that they can blackmail anybody, blackmail the district because they cannot be dissolved. They can be dissolved and your functions can be taken over by one person or body and we pray that nobody pushes us to that level,” Dan Botwe said.
The comment by the Minister follows reports of rejections of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives nominees.
Addressing the Okere District Assembly in the Eastern Region on Monday, September 27, 2021, the Minister explained that, these powers of the President are explicitly stated in the Local Governance Act, 2016 Section 36&37 of Act 936 which can be triggered by the President if the need arises.
“This goes to many of the assemblies knowing the functions of the Assembly yet some wants to use various means to subvert the work of the assembly and the nomination process. We must understand that by the same law, in Section 36 of Act936, the President has some powers. An investigation by the President that is section 36 Act936 states ‘the President may cause the performance of any function or matter of a District Assembly under this or any other enactment be investigated if the matter is likely to affect the discipline of the District Assembly and shall give direction as appropriate,” Dan Botwe stressed.
He continued that “Section 37 states, [and I want it to be known across the country]. By the Law, the President may declare a district assembly to be in default of its functions by Executive Instrument if it is in the interest of the public to do so. And May by the same Executive Instrument or another Executive Instrument, direct the district assembly on how to perform any office function specified in the Executive Instrument or (B) the President may transfer to a person or body the performance of any of the functions of a District Assembly in default specified in the executive instrument. Where the President has transferred the functions of a district Assembly in default to a person or body, the President may by the same or other Executive Instrument dissolve or suspend the district assembly for not more than a year”.
Dan Kwaku Botwe said governance is a serious business hence Assembly members must understand to commit to the processes.
“Running a country is a serious business so anytime you elect yourself to be of service in any part to develop the nation, I beg you, it is a very serious issue and we expect all of us to do that, it is service to the nation. Service to the community and you are offering leadership”
Meanwhile, the District Chief Executive nominee for Okere Kenneth Daniel Addo secured hundred percent votes for his approval by the Assembly
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has described as a “blatant lie”, claims by one Ernest Owusu Bempah that former President John Dramani Mahama and the party’s national chairman, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, masterminded the recent alleged kidnapping of a “fake” pregnant woman in Takoradi in the Western region.
The NDC, in a statement, said the tone and substance of the baseless accusation show that Mr Owusu Bempah had the support of the government “to spew this wicked, malicious and contemptuous accusation in order to reduce the heat the government has drawn to itself as a result of its manhandling of national security challenges and the apparent loss of a firm grip on governance”.
The statement noted that Mr Mahama and Mr Ofosu-Ampofo do not have any hand whatsoever in the happenings in the Western Region, nor are they linked in any way to any of the characters in that alleged kidnapping saga.
The party has, thus, called on its supporters and the public to treat the claim by Mr Owusu Bempah with utter contempt as there is no merit in same.
The party further called on its supporters to constantly hold the Akufo-Addo government to account and to remind the government to honour its sacred duty of securing the lives and properties of Ghanaians.
According to the police, 28-year-old Josephine Panyin Mensah faked her nine-month pregnancy and kidnapping to save her marriage.
Before she confessed, Mr Bempah, at a press conference, accused Mr Mahama and the NDC National Chairman of being behind her kidnapping.
Ms Mensah, now a suspect, appeared in court for the first time on Monday, 27 September 2021, but pleaded not guilty.
She is facing two charges of deceiving a public officer and publication of false news with intent to cause fear and panic.
She was admitted to a bail bond of GHS 50,000 with two sureties
The three-member committee that proved the Ejura killings has presented their their recommendations to the government.
The three-member Committee that probed the Ejura disturbances that led to the death of two persons on June 29, 2021, following the death of Kaaka, has made ten recommendations for government to consider.
The Committee comprised George Kingsley Koomson, Justice of the Court of Appeal, Security Expert, Dr Vladimir Antwi-Danso and Juliet Amoah, Executive Director of Penplusbyte, a civil society organization.
Among others, the committee recommended the transfer of the District Police Commander of Ejura, DSP Philip Kojo Hammond for his incompetence in handling the issue.
The Committee also recommended that the families of the two deceased and other affected persons, be compensated.
They also recommended the removal of the Ejura-Sekyedumase Municipal Chief Executive, Mohammed Salisu Bamba.
According to the Committee, his continuous presence as MCE would exacerbate the already tense security situation in Ejura. Meanwhile, Mr. Bamba was reported on July 15, to have withdrawn his application for re-appointment as MCE for the area.
Below are the recommendations;
1. The Committee recommends adequate Compensation for the families of the two deceased persons, namely, Abdul Nasir Yusif and Murtala Suraj Mohammed. Adequate compensation must also be paid to other injured persons, namely; Louis Ayikpa (20 years), Awal Misbau (16 years) and Nasif Nuhu (30 years). These are the names known to the Committee.
2. The Committee recommends the immediate transfer of the District Police Commander of Ejura, DSP Philip Kojo Hammond, first for his incompetence in handing the situation and for the fact that, his relationship with the community seems to have been damaged beyond repair.
3. We further recommend the structural expansion of the Ejura Police Station and an increase in personnel.
4. We recommend the removal of the Ejura-Sekyedumase Municipal Chief Executive, Honourable Mohammed Salisu Bamba, since his continuous presence as MCE would exacerbate the already tense security situation in Ejura.
5. It is further recommended that, the Military Establishment review the actions of the Section on the ground, led by Lieutenant Martin Opoku Adusei, for the inappropriate use of force, and apply appropriate sanctions.
6. We further recommend the training of REGSEC, MUSEC and DISEC officials in the Ashanti Region in Conflict and Crises Management at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College at least once every year.
7. We recommend the development of a joint Standard Operative Procedure (SOP) for Military / Police operations, including roles for indispensable allied agencies like the National Investigations Bureau, NADMO, Ghana National Fire Service, National Ambulance Service, etc.
8. We further recommend that, the NCCE should intensify its Public education in relation to the rights, obligations and civic responsibilities of the people of Ejura.
9. It is further recommended that, all crowd /riot/crises control units be made to wear bodycams and all vehicles and mobile gadgets employed must also have cameras.
10. We recommend the establishment of a Sports and other Recreational Facilities in Ejura under the Zongo Development Fund, so as to re-channel the energies of the youth.
Background
On Monday, June 28, it was reported that a social activist, Ibrahim Mohammed aka Kaaka who was attacked by assailants at Ejura Saturday dawn, had died.
The deceased, was attacked by two assailants, who have allegedly been arrested by the Police. He was repeatedly struck on the head with objects until he lost consciousness.
This led to the youth of the area demonstrating over the death of Kaaka, with some alleging it was politically motivated.
The disturbances led to the deployment of both the police and military to curb the situation, but rather turning bloody, leading to the shooting and death of two persons.
US singer R Kelly has been found guilty of exploiting his superstar status to run a scheme to sexually abuse women and children over two decades.
Eleven accusers, nine women, and two men took the stand over the searing six-week trial to describe sexual humiliation and violence at his hands.
After two days of deliberation, the jury found Kelly guilty on all the charges he was facing.
Sentencing is due on 4 May and he could spend the rest of his life behind bars.
The jury found Kelly, whose full name is Robert Sylvester Kelly, was the ringleader of a violent and coercive scheme that lured women and children for him to sexually abuse.
The singer – most famous for the award-winning song I Believe I Can Fly – was also found to have trafficked women between different US states and produced child pornography.
Along with eight counts of sex trafficking, Kelly was found guilty of racketeering – a charge normally used against organized crime associations.
During the trial, prosecutors detailed how his managers, security guards, and other entourage members worked to assist him in his criminal enterprise.
One woman who testified that Kelly imprisoned, drugged, and raped her said in a written statement after the verdict that she had “been hiding” from Kelly due to threats made against her since she went public with her accusations.
“I’m ready to start living my life free from fear and to start the healing process,” added the woman, identified in court as Sonja.
Another woman who testified in court, Lizette Martinez, said she was “relieved” by the verdict.
“I’m so proud of the women who were able to speak their truths,” she added.
Legal documents have revealed the mental torment that Kelly subjected his victims to. They were not allowed to eat or use the bathroom without his permission, he controlled what clothes they wore and made them call him “Daddy”.
Gloria Allred, a lawyer who represented several victims, told reporters: “I’ve been practicing law for 47 years. During this time, I’ve pursued many sexual predators who have committed crimes against women and children.
“Of all the predators that I have pursued, Mr. Kelly is the worst.”
At a news conference outside the court on Monday, prosecutor Jacquelyn Kasulis said that the jury had sent a message to other powerful men like Kelly.
“No matter how long it takes, the long arm of the law will catch up with you,” said Ms Kasulis.
The verdict comes 13 years after Kelly was acquitted of child pornography charges after a trial in the state of Illinois.
Many of the allegations heard in the trial were first laid out in the 2019 documentary Surviving R Kelly.
Victims were sometimes selected from his concert audiences or were enticed to join him after being offered help with their fledgling music careers after chance encounters with the singer.
But after joining his entourage, they found that they were subjected to strict rules and aggressively punished if they violated what his team had dubbed “Rob’s rules”.
During the federal trial, the court also heard how he had illegally obtained paperwork to marry underage singer Aaliyah, who died in a plane accident in August 2001 after marrying Kelly at age 15.
Kelly’s lawyer Deveraux Cannick told reporters that the singer did not expect to be found guilty.
“The government cherry-picked the version that they thought would support the continuation of the narrative,” said Mr. Cannick. “Why would he expect this verdict given all the inconsistencies that we saw?”
Kelly is separately facing trial in Chicago on child pornography and obstruction charges. He is also due to face sex abuse charges in Illinois and Minnesota.
At least two former Kelly associates have pleaded guilty in separate cases related to attempts to silence Kelly’s accusers.
The 35 Assembly members in the Akyemansa District in the Eastern Region have confirmed the President’s nominee, Paul Asamoah, as the District Chief Executive (DCE) securing 100 percent votes.
Mr. Asamoah, who is a businessman from Adwarfo in District, won the trust of all the 35-member assembly at Ofoase.
He expressed gratitude to the members for their overwhelming votes and called for their collaborative support to advance the development of the district.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Acheampong, who subsequently sworn him into office after the EC Declaration advised the DCE to work hard to improve upon the development in the area.
Paul Asamoah was nominated in 2017 by President Akufo-Addo as the DCE for the area, where the current Minister of Information, Kojo Nkrumah oversees as the Member of Parliament
Josephine Panyin Mensah, the main suspect in the controversial kidnapping and pregnancy case at Takoradi is still in police custody despite being granted bail by court on Monday.
Her lawyer Philip Fiifi Buckman told Empire News’ Emmanuel Ohene-Gyan his client could not meet the bail conditions set by the court. He was confident they will meet the bail conditions on Today, September 28.
She pleaded not guilty to two charges of Deceiving a public officer: contrary to section 251(b) of the criminal offences Act 1960(Act 29) and Publication of false news with intent to cause fear and alarm to the public contrary to section 208(1) of the criminal offences Act 2960(Act 29) levelled against her by the police.
She was granted a GHC50,000 bail with two sureties to be justified.
Western Regional head of prosecutions and legal affairs at the police command who led the prosecutions, Superintendent Emmanuel Basintale, briefing the court said police investigations suggest that the number used by the supposed kidnappers were registered in the name of the accused name Josephine Panyin Mensah Simons
Supt Basintale further told the police that the prosthetics she wore to pretend that she was pregnant was bought at Takoradi market circle at the cost of GHC30.
He further told the court that the lady visited the Takoradi hospital last year on the
Eugene Arhin, Director of Communication at the Office of the President
The director of communications at the Office of the President, Eugene Arhin, says the process has begun to acquire a bigger presidential jet
The government has started the process of acquiring a new state aircraft that will serve as the presidential jet among other functions, the Director of Communications at the Office of the President, Eugene Arhin, has confirmed.
The Minister of Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, in June this year while answering a question on the floor of Parliament posed by MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, on the state of the country’s existing presidential jet, noted that there was the need for the nation to think about purchasing a new aircraft.
The minister at the time intimated that the current Falcon 900 EX-Easy aircraft, used by the president, was no longer fit for purpose.
According to him, the presidential jet – a Ghana Airforce Falcon Ex-Easy – could only carry 11 passengers minus the crew and it often had to do “undesirable refueling stops at unintended destinations” during long haul flights, causing inconvenience to both the president and the host countries.
To avert such inconveniences, he said the use of the chartered private jet was critical as the plane could carry more passengers and fly long distances without making stops to refuel.
“It is interesting to note that the Armed Forces of Mali, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Eswatini, Nigeria, Chad, Niger, Uganda, Kenya, Congo (DR), Morocco, Equatorial Guinea, just to mention but a few, all have a Boeing or Airbus Jet of that capacity to serve as strategic air lifts,” he told Parliament in June.
Addressing the presidential press corps on Monday (27 September) at the Jubilee House, Arhin indicated that the government has initiated the process that will lead to the acquisition of a new aircraft to augment the fleet of the Ghana Armed Forces.
“The Minister for Defence has made it clear that government has decided to buy a bigger jet to save us from all these troubles.
“I won’t want to go into details. I am sure when the Minister for Defence has the opportunity to give further information as to what government is doing with respect to that I am sure he will do that. I know for a fact that government is already in the process of acquiring a bigger jet for use,” Arhin emphasised.
Regional tour
In a separate development, Arhin indicated that so far President Akufo-Addo has toured 12 out of the 16 regions in the country throughout the year 2021.
To this end, beginning 1 October 2021, Akufo-Addo will undertake a seven-day tour of the Ashanti and Eastern Regions of the country.
After the tour, the president will be left with the Central Region and the Greater Accra Regions to complete his yearly agenda of visiting all regions in the country.
Ministerial assessment
As part of processes towards the preparation of the 2022 budget, Arhin said the President has commenced individual consultation, assessment, review and analysis of the work of each of his ministers.
“Today (27th of September 2021), the President has begun a series of consultative meetings with his Ministers. It is a three-pronged agenda,” Arhin stated.
“The first is to assess their work programme for the remainder of the year; secondly to discuss their budgetary requirements and their work programme ahead of the reading of the budget for 2022 and thirdly to ensure that they continue to be in tune with his agenda for his second term in office,” Arhin added
The Chief Executive Officer of the Oil Bulk Oil Storage Transport (BOST) Mr Edwin Provencal met the Press at the Ministry of Information and told them of the exhilarating turn around story of the then debts- saddled, ill-managed and infamous company that has seen a tremendous transformation from 2017 to date.
According to him, before that time, BOST was so sick that it was almost good for nothing. It owed suppliers a whopping 624 million dollars, 37 million dollars to Bulk Distribution Companies (BDCs) Stanchart Bank Ghc 215,698,902 and GCB Bank Ghc 69,262,035 but happily by the middle of 2021 the company with their internally generated fund has paid 73 % of its debts and is poised to make profit by 2022.
Mr Edwin Provencal disclosed that almost all the revenue generating assets were either underutilized or completely grounded. Some of them had not received maintenance for all that while and were running at a loss on monthly basis.
“When we came to power we contracted EOCO, National Security and our own audit team to do a forensic audit of our debt portfolio and to our amazement and bewilderment , the BDCs upon deliberations agreed that we owed them close to only 11 million USD and not the huge outstanding 37 million dollars on our books. We have paid them 1.2 million dollars with ten million dollars pending. So we have saved the state 26 million dollars” he revealed.
Mr Provencal again told the media that some pipe lines imported from Houston USA in 2011 had been abandoned in the hot weather in that country and BOST had to renegotiate at additional cost 8 million dollars in 2020 to bring the pipelines in in September ending 2021 to fix the deficit to enable the company transport the oil via the pipes to reduce cost of the product. Fuel cost can be reduced by 35 % if it is transported per the pipes lines instead of the oil tankers excorbitant feres. All the depots, pipelines, tanks , pipelines left to rot over the years have all been rehabilitated and BOST is about 85 % operational.
He told the itching Newsmen that the pipelines from Buipe to Bolga are being worked on to cart fuel to the landlocked countries in the Sahelian like it’s done in Singapore that fetches that country millions of dollars and Ghana can leverage on this export trade to rope in more dollars. To address to the delapidating menace, management adopted four main strategies to breathe life into the ailing company : Enhanced Operational Excellence ; Aggressive Growth Policy, Rebranding Strategy and Great Corporate Culture .These and commitment , determination of staff and management has drastically turned the company around within a spate of four years.
Today the picture and story of BOST is an organization with confidence and bright future. As a result ; 624 m dollars has Ben reduced to 39 m dollars ; BDCs debts reduced from 37 m dollars to 11m dollars; shipment of abandoned pipelines coming in this month to complete a project ; Revenue earnings regimes drastically increased from 17 % to 75 % ; Resuming supply of oil to land locked countries up North for revenue ,etc
Two suspected members of the daylight armed robbery gang who have been terrorising residents of Accra in recent times have been killed by police in around Zenu in the Kpone-Katamansu Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.××
The suspects, Mujahid Abubakar and Joseph Dagodzo were reportedly shot in the process of their arrest and they died whiles on admission at the Police Hospital in Accra.
Information available to DGN Online indicates that on September 25, 2021 at about 2:50am, the Sege Police Night Patrol Team brought to the Sege police station the suspects and reported that whilst they were on patrols, information was received that, the said suspects were on a Royal motorbike with registration number M-20-GE 7215 whilst his other friends were also using another Royal motorbike registered M-20-GT 4299 from Koluedor direction heading towards Accra.
The suspects on their respective motorbikes got to Sege town when the patrol team signalled them to stop, but they refused and they negotiated into the Sege township.
They were given a hot chase by the patrol team till they joined the main Accra-Aflao highway back heading towards Accra direction.
Upon reaching a section of the road at Dawa near God’s Love Herbal Center, two of the suspects on the motorbike with registration number M-20-GT 4299 fell from their motorbike and took to their heels into a nearby bush abandoning the said motorbike.
Immediately, the Dawa Police snap check personnel were informed to be on the lookout and arrest the suspects.
The other gang members who took the lead took a different turn upon realizing that, the snap check men were stopping them at Dawa.
However, the patrol team pursued them towards Agortor direction and they also fell from their motorbike hence suspect Joseph Dagodzo was arrested whiles suspect Mujahid Abukari ran into the nearby bush.
The patrol team assisted by some community members combed the bush and in the process, the said suspect Mujahid Abukari pulled out his Blow F92 pistol to hit the head of one David Adella, one of the community members in Dawa who was helping in the arrest.
But the suspect was overpowered and arrested together with his black Blow F92 pistol as the pistol and the two Royal motorbikes retained at the station as exhibits.
Bukari Salifu
However, a statement issued by the Ghana Police Service on Monday September 27, 2021 and signed by ACP Kwesi Ofori indicates that the suspects during interrogation mentioned a 65-year old, Bukari Salifu as the person who supplies them with guns and ammunitions for their robbery expeditions.
“Under the pretext of aiding the police to retrieve some weapons and assist in arresting their accomplices who had escaped from the the scene, the two suspects led police Crime Combat team to the purported hideout of their accomplices in a bush near Zenu. There the police came under fire as the suspects attempted to escape. This was a highly trained crime combat team and the officers returned fire.
“The suspect armed robbers were shot in the process and they were rushed to the Police Hospital in Accra where they died,” according to the statement.
Their corpses have been deposited at the morgue of the police hospital in Accra.
Meanwhile, police intelligence led to the arrest of Bukari Salifu, the financier of supplier of weapons to the suspects whiles the police are pursuing their accomplices who managed to escape
Ghana coach Milovan Rajevac has named a 32-man provisional squad for next month’s FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifiers against Zimbabwe.
The man who was unveiled as Ghana Coach on Friday, September 24, 2021, is preparing for a second bow against the Warriors of Zimbabwe next month. The list includes Swindon Town FC goalkeeper Jojo Wallocott – a 26-year-old shot-stopper who has been given his first international call-up.
Asante Kotoko youngster Danlad Ibrahim makes a return to the squad while Arsenal stalwart Thomas Partey who missed the games against Ethiopia and South Africa returns after recovering from an ankle injury that kept him out of action for the opening stages of the new season. Another returnee is Ajax Amsterdam star Mohammed Kudus.
Fiorentina ace Joseph Alfred Duncan will have the chance to make an impression this time having missed out on a call up for almost a year for varied reasons. Turkey-based forward Benjamin Tetteh who plays for Yeni Malatyaspor has also been handed a call up by the Serbian tactician.
Ghana has a double-header against Zimbabwe in the next round of qualifiers in October. The Black Stars will take on the Warriors on Saturday, October 12 at the Cape Coast stadium on matchday three of the qualifiers before traveling to Harare three days later for the reverse fixture.
Ghana’s provisional squad
Goalkeepers
Lawrence Ati- Zigi (FC St. Gallen), Richard Atta (Hearts of Oak), Ibrahim Danlad, (Asante Kotoko), Jojo Wallocott (Swindon Town)
Defenders: Philemon Baffuor (Dreams FC), Andrew Yiadom (Reading FC), Ismail Ganiyu (Asante Kotoko), Gideon Mensah (Bordeaux), Baba Abdul Rahman (Reading FC), Daniel Amartey (Leicester City), Joseph Aidoo (Celta Vigo), Jonathan Mensah (Columbus Crew), Alexander Djiku (Strasbourg).
Midfielders: Thomas Partey (Arsenal FC), Baba Idrissu (Real Mallorca), Alfred Duncan (Fiorentina), Emmanuel Lomotey (Amiens), Mubarak Wakaso, (Shenzhen FC), Mohammed Kudus (Ajax Amsterdam), Majeed Ashimeru (RSC Anderlecht), Kofi Kyere (St. Pauli), Abdul Fatawu Issahaku (Steadfast FC).
Forwards: Andre Ayew (Al Sadd SC), Kamaldeen Suleymana (Rennes), Tariq Fosu-Henry (Brentford FC), Joel Fameyeh (Orenburg), Yaw Yeboah (Wisła Kraków), Samuel Owusu (Al-Fayha FC), Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace), Caleb Ekuban (Genoa), Emmanuel Gyasi (Spezia), Benjamin Tetteh (Yeni Malatyaspor)
The BoG says these notes would be replaced by their respective coin.
Addressing a press conference after the MPC meeting Monday (27 September), the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr Ernest Addison said, “Both the GHC1 note and the GHC2 note would eventually be phased out because they are not cost-effective in terms of the printing cost.
“Notes that circulate very widely and they come back very torn and soiled and they are very difficult for our currency processing machines to process them.”
The statement said a Blow F9-22 pistol, a locally manufactured pistol, and two motorbikes were retrieved by the Police.
Two suspected armed robbers have been gunned down by the Police at Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region.
The two, Joseph Dagodzo and Mujahid Abubakar, lost their lives at a hospital after sustaining gunshot wounds during a shoot-out with the Police.
A statement signed by the acting Director-General of Police Public Affairs Department, ACP Kwesi Ofori, said a third suspect, 67-year-old Bukari Salifu, who is a financier and supplier of weapons for the group was also arrested in his hideout in Zenu.
The statement said a Blow F9-22 pistol, a locally manufactured pistol, and two motorbikes were retrieved by the Police.
Police assure of stringent measures to curb rising crime
The Police Service says it is making use of its patrol teams to combat the rising spate of crime in Accra.
Some days ago, videos of daylight car robbery incidents at Sampa Valley in the Ga South Municipality and Apenkwa Traffic Light on the Achimota stretch went viral on social media.
These incidents among several others have heightened fears among the public, who feel their lives remain in danger as they go about their daily activities.
The Ghana Police Service as a matter of urgency has introduced urgent additional security measures in the wake of a spike in robbery incidents, especially in the national capital, Accra.
The Agric Minister, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto says former President John Mahama’s brother is stealing government’s subsidised fertilizers meant for smallholder farmers in the country.××
According to the minister, John Mahama’s brother has found his way to be benefiting from the government’s subsidised fertilizers meant for smallholder farmers although he is not qualify because he is into large scale or commercial farming.
The Minister explained that the subsidised fertilizers are meant for poor farmers cultivating about 2 or 3-acre farms and not farmers like Mahama’s brother who is a commercial farmer, cultivating 300 acres and can raise funds to purchase fertilizer for his farm.
“The subsidies are meant for farmers with 2, 3 acres which is the bulk of smallholders and not for 300 acres for goodness sake. So he has actually scrounged on poor farmers to start with, if he was able to do 300 acres with subsidised fertilizer”, Dr. Akoto told Joynews PM Express host, Evans Mensah.
The Agric minister was reacting to former President Mahama’s allegation that the country was facing imminent food shortage.
“So what Mr Mahama is saying cannot be true. In any case, we are talking about millions and millions of farmers. For him to make that conclusion from one observation, it means that when it comes to statistics he has absolutely no clue,”
This revelation was on the back of claims made by the former President that Ghana is most likely to experience food shortage next year because the government flagship Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) programme is a failure.
According to Mr. Manama, his brother who cultivates 300 acres farm is now not getting government’s subsidized fertilizer to farm and has affected his output by reducing his farm size to 80 acres thereby government should inject more capital into it flagship Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) in other for his brother to continue to enjoy the government subsidy.
“My brother is a farmer and he tells me this year, he has not received any fertiliser supply from the government and so he bought his own fertiliser and a bag of fertiliser is very expensive. Normally, he cultivates 300 acres of maize each year.
“But this year, he had to reduce it, he was not able to cultivate even 80 acres. So there’s a possibility of food shortage next year because the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme has failed,” the former President exposed how his brother is enjoying from the poor farmers in the country.
The Agric Minister insists that Mahama’s brother is only ‘stealing’ from the poor farmer
Farouk Aliu Mahama, son of former Ghana’s Vice President, Aliu Mahama has rubbished news circulating that his mother, Hajia Ramatu Mahama is dead.
A couple of websites have published news of an alleged death of the former Second Lady of Ghana, Hajia Ramatu Mahama.
There were also condolences messages pouring in for the former second family from people far and near.
However, son of the former Vice President has denied reports on the death of his mother, saying that her mother is alive.
He took to his Facebook page to deny reports on the death of his mother, saying that it was fake news.
He wrote that “I have taken note of an unfortunate rumours making the rounds about my mom, the Former Second Lady, H.E Hajia Ramatu Aliu Mahama( neè Egala)
My mom is alive. We should leave matters of death and health in the hands of the Almighty Allah.
Members of the public should please disregard the reports.
Josephine Panyin Mensah Simons, who allegedly confessed that she invented the whole story to “satisfy” her husband, was granted GHC50,000 bail
Josephine Panyin Mensah (Simons), the 28-year-old woman at the centre of a supposed full-term pregnancy and kidnapping, on Monday (27 September) pleaded not guilty in court.
Simons, who has allegedly confessed that she invented the whole story to “satisfy” her husband, was granted GHC50,000 bail in her first court appearance.
The case has been adjourned to 14 October.
She has been charged with deceit of public officer and false publication with the intent to cause fear and panic.
The story of Mensah went viral after it was reported last week that she had gone missing in Takoradi while out on a morning walk. She was said to be nine months pregnant.
She was later found in Axim all in the Western Region.
Arrest
The police arrested her on Friday evening (24 September) after she allegedly confessed that the story was a hoax.
In a Facebook post, the police said: “The suspect, Josephine Panyin Mensah, 28, has confessed to the police during further investigations and stated that neither was she pregnant nor ever being [sic] kidnapped.”
The police had initially informed the public that two separate tests proved that the woman was never pregnant.
The mobile telephone number used to call family members in Takoradi to demand a ransom was actually registered in her name, the state-owned Daily Graphic quotes top police sources as saying.
The woman’s mother and husband, Michael Simons, who were being kept in police custody as suspects, were released late Friday evening
The Vice President of the United States of America (USA), Kamala Harris has noted that Ghanaians voted during free and fair elections held last year.
According to her, this demonstrated the nation’s commitment to democratic principles and institutions.
She said this on Thursday, 23rd September 2021, when she held bilateral talks with President Akufo-Addo at the White House, with the aim of stringing the ties of cooperation and friendship that exist between the two countries.
“Last December, the people of Ghana voted in a free and fair election that demonstrated your nation’s commitment to democratic principles and institutions,” she told President Akufo-Addo.
She further commended President Akufo-Addo for creating the enabling environment for American businesses to thrive in the oil-producing West African country.
She stated that American companies continue to ramp up in Ghana, understanding the significance of the work that they do there to America’s economy much less to the partnership between Ghana and the United States.null
Welcoming President Akufo-Addo to the White House, Mrs. Harris indicated that the meeting with the Ghanaian President “is a reaffirmation of the strength of the relationship between the United States and Ghana, and of course we have deep in historical ties or official bilateral relationship began in 1957.”
She stressed that “American companies continue to ramp up in Ghana, understanding the significance of the work that they do there to America’s economy much less to the partnership between Ghana and the United States.”
“And they do this also because we are confident in the Government of Ghana and the environment, Mr. President, that you have created, which allows for some confidence in the respect and upholding of the rule of law and human rights. And so, with all of that, we look forward to continue to work together.”
On his part, President Akufo-Addo thanked Vice President Harris for the invitation, and stressed that Ghana and the United States of America share very much the same commitments.
“We want to develop our nation as a democracy as a country where freedom and respect for human rights and the rule of law are paramount to our system of governance,” he said.null
Whilst expressing gratitude for the support of the United States towards helping to defeat the pandemic in Ghana, he indicated that the “other main preoccupation for us is the co-operation that we have to put together to defeat the Jihadist insurgency in the Sahel.”
It is an area, he said, that requires the support of the United States Government.
“We are looking for support for our armed forces and for the intelligence agencies of our area that they can be in stronger positions. Many of those leading the Jihadist insurrections in West Africa are the people who came from Iraq after they were driven out from Iraq, so I think if there’s information here that can assist us to be able to track down and be able to deal with these people,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo was hopeful that Ghana and America, now and in the coming years, will continue to “advance our mutual causes, and also strengthen the relations between our two countries.”
Media Contents, Instant News on current affairs, Advertising, Marketing, Entertainment & Many More 
You must be logged in to post a comment.