Guinea, together with Mali, has been under the bloc’s sanctions as a result of military takeover.
In Mali, the National Committee for the Salvation of the People led by Col Malick Diaw and Gen Sadio Camara on Tuesday, August 18, 2020 seized power by forcing President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta to resign.
Mr Keïta had won a second term in elections in 2018 but there had been anger over corruption, the mismanagement of the economy and a dispute over legislative elections, prompting several large protests in the country.
The country was sanctioned by Ecowas and are scheduled to hold elections in February next year to return to constitutional rule.
In Guinea, President Alpha Conde’s government was overthrown on Sunday, September 5 by members of the Special Forces of Guinea, led by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya, who has now formed the National Committee for Reconciliation and Development (CNRD).
But an emergency summit of Ecowas’ highest organ in Accra on Thursday, September 16 imposed sanctions on junta members in both Guinea and Mali.
They as well as their family members have been banned from travelling and their financial assets have been frozen. This has been communicated to international bodies like AU, UN, EU and other bilateral bodies.
A decision was taken for the Chair of the Authority to personally travel to Conakry to convey the messages to the military leaders.
“[The heads of state] also, of course, reaffirmed ECOWAS’ firm commitment to work and help Guinea in this process of restoring the constitutional order.
“They insisted also on the close support of traditional partner the United Nations, the African Union, European Union and also other bilateral countries and they also decided that there will be a visit by the Chair of the Authority to the Republic of Guinea as soon as possible to convey those messages regarding the decision of the Summit personally.”
Ace Ghana actor, Kofi Laing, popularly known as Kohwe, has died.
His daughter, Comfort Laing, who confirmed the news to ghanaweekend.com, said her father passed away at his residence in Accra on the evening of Thursday, September 16, 2021.
Kohwe is believed to be around age 75.
A few weeks ago, it was reported that he had suffered a stroke and was undergoing treatment at a health facility.
Two years ago, Kohwe spoke about his financial challenges; after which a former Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Barbara Oteng Gyasi, and a group called Cape Coast Oguaa, and other people, donated monies and items to him.
Kohwe is known for his sterling roles in the Akan Drama series and the popular ‘District Colonial Court.’
West African leaders have unanimously taken a decision to have authorities in Guinea organise elections within six months in order to return the country to constitutional rule.
At an Extraordinary Summit held in Accra on Thursday, September 16 under the chairmanship of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana, the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) also imposed sanctions on individual members of the military junta that ousted President Alpha Conde’s government on Sunday, September 5.
The junta by members of the Special Forces of Guinea led by Colonel Mamady Doumbouya seized power and detained President Conde.
Addressing journalists in Accra after the emergency summit, President of the ECOWAS Commission Jean-Claude Brou said the bloc is committed to support Guinea return to civilian rule.
Earlier, at the start of the Summit, President Akufo-Addo charged members of the Authority to take informed decisions on matters to do with stability within the sub-region.
“We are required to take informed decisions on these matters that would have long-term consequences to the stability and the defence of democratic values of our region.
“I count on you, Your Excellencies, to help proffer durable solutions to the crisis.
“I am confident that as in the past, we will rise to the occasion,” he reiterated at Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel, where the Summit was held
As of the end of July 2021, the total number of mobile phone voice subscriptions was 44,834,661, the latest figures from the National Communication Authority (NCA) has said.
This represents a percentage increase of 6.67% from the June 2021 figure of 42,030,426.
The total penetration rate for the month under review was 142.98%.
AirtelTigo’s mobile voice subscriptions decreased from 7,984,134 as of the end of June 2021 to 7,537,514 as of the end of July 2021, indicating a percentage decrease of 5.59%.
Their market share for the month under review was 18.16% as compared to 19.14% in June 2021.
Mobile voice subscriptions of Glo increased from 814,475 as of the end of June 2021 to 836,198 at the end of July 2021.
With a percentage increase of 2.67%, their total market share for the month under review was 2.01%.
Fixed Telephony
There are three operators providing fixed line services in Ghana – Vodafone, AirtelTigo and MTN.
As of the end of July 2021, the total subscriptions for the fixed operators stood at 316,028, an increase of 861 subscriptions from the previous month’s subscription of 315,167.
Vodafoneendedthemonthwith308,466subscriptions;AirtelTigo recorded atotalsubscriptionof3,431withMTNrecording4,131subscriptions
Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah – Western Regional Minister
The Western Regional Coordinating Council (WRCC) has denied ever directing all the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the region to contribute some amount of money to support the final funeral rites of the late father of the Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah.
A letter purported to have been issued by the WRCC and signed by its Coordinating Director, Mr Frederick Agyemang which is circulating on social media is asserting that all the 14 MMDAs in the region have been directed to contribute various sums of monies to support the final funeral rites of the father of the regional Minister.
The letter which was copied to all the assemblies indicates that the decision for the assemblies to support the funeral was taken at a meeting by the dean of MMDCEs and MMDCDs in the region.
According to the letter, a total amount of GH¢49, 000 is suppose to be paid by the assemblies to support the interment of the late Nana Boanyina Adusei Mensah II.
“Following a decision with the dean of MMDCEs and MMDCEs it has been decided that your MMDA is to contribute the following amount towards the final funeral rites of the late father of the regional minister”, the letter said.
The letter directed the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly, the Prestea Huni Valley, the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipal Assemblies the Ellembelle District Assembly and the Effia Kwesiminstim Municipal Assembly to pay an amount of GH¢5,000 each.
For Ahanta West, Wassa Amenfi East and Jomoro, the are to pay GH¢3,500 each.
It also asked the Wassa East District, Shama, Wassa Amenfi Central, Nzema East and Mpohor Districts to contribute GHc2,000 each.
It instructed the assemblies to pay the monies to the regional accountant by close of work on Monday, September 20, 2021.
However, a statement issued by the WRCC and signed by its Public Relations Officer, Charles Cobbinah called on all to disregard the purported letter since it did not have the seal of the WRCC.
“Please disregard the letter and consider it as not true”.
“The Regional Minister has not instructed any MMDCE to make any payment in support of his father’s funeral or any other funeral”, the WRCC PRO indicated
• Former President, John Dramani Mahama, during his Bono Regional tour said election 2024 will be a do or die affair
• Many people have tongue-lashed him for making this statement
• But the NDC appears unperturbed as its general secretary has reaffirmed those words in a radio interview in Kumasi
General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has noted that his party has taken a cue from the previous elections and will employ new tactics to win election 2024.
He reiterated the 2020 NDC flagbearer’s statement that election 2024 will be a do or die affair at the polling station.
In a radio interview in Kumasi as part of John Dramani Mahama‘s ‘Thank you’ tour, Asiedu Nketia said, “We have learnt our lessons from the previous elections. We have new tactics to use in the 2024 election. That is why we said the elections would be a ‘do and die’ affair at the polling station.”null
According to a Daily Graphic report, Asiedu Nketia said the NDC would ensure that the right things are done at both the polling and collation centres for a free and fair election.
National Chairman of the NDC, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, also urged NDC faithful to be ready to battle the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the next general elections.
He further appreciated the efforts of NDC members and serial callers in election 2020 but asked them to work harder in 2024.
Ofosu Ampofo said, “We are here to thank all our party executive members from the constituency to the branch level, including all the serial callers who worked hard to garner the votes attained in 2020.”
“We did not lose in the elections because our parliamentary seats shot up from 106 to 130; we were expecting about 140 seats but we will ensure we work hard to wrest power come 2024,” he added
President Akufo-Addo who doubles as the Chairperson of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has called on his colleague Heads of State to contribute their best during deliberations to ensure that they deal decisively with the political situation in Guinea.
President Akufo-Addo in his opening statement as chairperson of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) at the opening ceremony of the extraordinary session of the Authority of Heads of State and government, today the 16th of September 2021 said is confident that the leaders will rise to the occasion as they have done in the past.
“We are required to take informed decisions on these matters that would have long term consequences to the stability and the defence of democratic values of our region. I count on you your Excellencies to help proffer durable solutions to the crisis. I am confident that as in the past, we will rise to the occasion” ECOWAS Chair, President Akufo-Addo said.
Participation & Agenda
Overall, eight (8) Presidents, one (1) Vice President and three (3) Foreign Ministers, bring the total to twelve (12) Heads of State and governments are attending the ECOWAS extraordinary summit.
As part of the agenda for the meeting, ECOWAS heads of State and government will receive and give consideration to the Report of the High-Level Mission to Republic of Guinea which was led by the Chairperson of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers and Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional and Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey
They will also be presented with an update on the transition in the Republic of Mali by the ECONAS Mediator on Mali, H.E. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Heads of State would then deliberation on the reports and issue a final communique
High-Level Mission
The High-level four-member mission appointed by ECOWAS Heads of State to assess the political situation in the republic of Guinea included Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of the Republic of Ghana and Chairperson of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers.
It comprised, Jean Claude Kassi Brou, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Alpha Barry, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, African Integration and Burkinabè Abroad and Robert Dussey, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Togolese Abroad
Oheneba Nkrabea, one of the Rasta students has currently been enrolled at Ghana International School(GIS) in Accra.
Kasapa News sources say the parents of the Rasta student moved their ward to the prestigious international school after they learned of the Attorney General’s decision to appeal against the High Court’s ruling that went in their favour earlier this year.
The news about Oheneba’s move has been kept under wraps as the legal challenge to overturn a high court ruling travels its full throttle.
Ghana International School (GIS) is one of Ghana’s leading international schools providing world-class holistic education to children between the ages of 3 years and 18 years.
AG piling up pressure, emotional stress on Rasta Kids
Meanwhile, the Lawyer for Rastafarian student, Oheneba Kwaku Nkrabea, Ras Wayoe Ghanamannti, has described as unfortunate the Attorney General’s appeal against the High Court’s ruling in the Rasta kids case.
Speaking on GHOne TV Tuesday, the lead Counsel argued that the flagrant disrespect of the interest of these kids which is paramount per the principles of the law is problematic.
He fears the children would be affected psychologically as the case has been advanced further at the Appeals court.
“The psychological trauma, the instability, the emotional stress, and those ambits of it is what is worrying us because these are children, these are young guys, and they’ve started going to school so at the end of the day any such decision will traumatize them. And we think that this is what the AG should have considered. Because if you look at our law – the Children’s Act, Section 2, on the very first principle, it’s clear that in everything that we seek to do the interest of the Child is paramount and even court of law and all other agents of security and all other persons would respect that principle that the interest of a child is paramount.
“So we thought that considering this case and their interest in respect of education, the AG would have allowed this to pass and if there is any future advancing of the rules Achimota is using holistically to preserve and protect minority rights like these rights of the Rastas we are talking about it would be looked at but to bring this appeal on and to pile up pressure and emotional stress on the children is unfortunate.”
The Achimota School board and the Attorney-General’s Department have filed an appeal to challenge the Human Rights High Court’s order for the school to admit the two dreadlock-wearing students.
The Achimota School per the appeal said, the court among other things erred by indicating that the rules and regulations of Achimota School with regard to ensuring uniformity in appearance is unlawful and interferes with the manifestation of one’s religious rights.
The school board has therefore filed the appeal to have the entire judgment set aside and the plaintiff ordered to comply with the school’s regulations if he (Tyrone Marhguy) chooses to be a student of the school.
The AG’s office has also filed an appeal on the case, asking the court to uphold Achimota School’s arguments and rule in favor of the school.
The notice of appeal said the judge who adjudicated that matter and gave victory to the two boys failed to get the plaintiffs to provide evidence of their claims.
The AG’s office also said the judge erred in claiming that Achimota School had interfered with the right to the education of the boys.
“The learned Judge erred when she held that the regulation of the 1st Respondent requiring that students keep their hair low amounted to an illegal and unconstitutional attempt to suspend the manifestation of the Applicant’s guaranteed freedom to practice and manifest his religion
Per intelligence picked up by the Ashanti Regional Security Council of an impending disturbances planned by some students on campus, students of KNUST have been asked to vacate campus by midday, September 17.
The Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council has directed students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), with the exception of foreign students and those granted permission by management, to vacate the school premises by midday on Friday, September 17, 2021.
According to the Security Council, it has picked up intelligence that some groups of unruly students are planning some disturbances on campus on the eve of vacation hence the directive.
A statement signed by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei-Mensah noted security personnel will be visibly stationed on the University Campus to ensure peace and security and prevent any unruly behaviour by any group of students.
It reminded the student body that the declaration of the University Campus as a security zone in November 2018, is still in force, and therefore, it is an offence to embark on a demonstration exercise within the security zone.
The Regional Security Council advised students to concentrate on their studies and complete their programmes without any distractions.
“However, if students decide to misbehave and engage in acts of indiscipline and criminality, they will be handled in accordance with the law. Any student who flouts the law, with offence bordering on criminality, will have criminal investigation opened against him or her and prosecuted before a court of competent jurisdiction.”
“Acts of indiscipline and vandalism will no longer be tolerated at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology,” it warned.
The Regional Minister further urged parents and guardians to caution their wards against getting involved in dastardly acts.
In recent times, there have been several reports of indiscipline amongst students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
Major amongst these acts of indiscipline is the existing and unhealthy rivalry between the University Hall and Unity Hall, which lead to acts of vandalism.
One of such is the incident that occurred at the KNUST Great Hall on July 3, 2021.
• The Agric Ministry has admitted Ghana faces a possible food shortage
• This comes days after calling former president Mahama a ‘scare-monger’ over similar calls
• Ghana has banned export of food in order to stock national reserves
Deputy Agric Minister, Yaw Frimpong, has admitted that Ghana faces a possible food shortage days after slamming former President John Dramani Mahama as a scaremonger for raising the issue.
According to him, the government has subsequently suspended the export of all locally produced food items to neighbouring countries to afford the National Buffer Stock Company to stock up as much food as possible.
“Food security is national security, because it is everybody’s responsibility to ensure that we have food in the system. The availability of it and then the pricing too should be affordable, that is all what everybody is struggling for.null
“The situation has arisen as a result of several factors and these factors include the global economic situation in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic which affected even the production of fertilizers and the supply and transportation of these fertilizers.
“And then secondly, the government also because of revenue shortfalls had challenges with payments to fertilizer suppliers and this actually affected agriculture production in the country,” he admitted on the September 14 edition of Joy FM’s News Night programme.
He admitted that the government lowered its guard feeling that we had enough as neighbours kept exporting our products and before we could say jack, Ghana was in a tight situation.
He also attributed low production to the drought of last year before promising that Ghana was not going to lower its guard going forward.
Late last week, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture via a statement dated 10 September 2021, urged Ghanaians to ignore comments by John Dramani Mahama regarding a possible food shortage in the country next year.null
Mahama had specifically stated that the shortage was because the government’s Planting for Food and Jobs Programme (PFJ) has failed.
The PFJ was introduced in 2017 by the Akufo-Addo led administration which is to ensure sufficient food supply in the country.
During his ‘Thank You’ tour in the Bono region, the former president attributed the rising cost of food to the government’s failure to fund the Planting for Food and Jobs programme.
He said, “I have a brother who is into farming, and he tells me the government is yet to supply farmers with fertilizer this year, and so he had to buy it himself.
“The cost is very high, which has forced him to reduce the acres he is planting from 300 to 80, and the effects of this are that there could be famine in Ghana next year because the Planting for Food and Jobs has failed.
But in a response, the ministry said, John Dramani Mahama wants to switch from the backlash he is receiving following his ‘do or die’ comment with an attack on the government’s flagship Planting for Food and Jobs programme.
“The former President, in an attempt to shift the public discussion from his rather reckless and infamous ‘do or die’ comment which has attracted public backlash, has decided to attack one of the government’s most successful flagship policies Planting for Food and Jobs.
“In fact, apart from becoming desperately notorious for making reckless comments in recent times, the former president is now also engaging in scare-mongering, thriving on lies and falsehoods just to put fear in Ghanaians,” the statement read in parts
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will today, Thursday, 16 September 2021, submit a list of nominated Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to the Minister for Local Government and Regional Re-organisation Dan Botwe.
This was disclosed by the Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin in a Facebook post.
Mr Dan Botwe, he said is expected to announce list very soon.
The government has been criticised for the delay in appointing new MMDCEs with some critics arguing that it is stalling developments across the country.
General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. John Boadu, has hit back at Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, describing him as the very “epitome of failure”, following the latter’s earlier scathing attack on his (Boadu’s) party leadership credentials.null
The NPP stalwart accused Mr Ofosu Ampofo of failing to undertake simple calculation of electoral figures when he was Director of Elections of the party during the 2016 General Elections.
Who Are You To Insult Mahama?
The NDC Chair fired the first salvo when he labelled Mr Boadu as incompetent, and one who has no moral right to criticize former President John Mahama, because he (Boadu) failed to protect the NPP’s majority seats in Parliament during the 2020 elections.
“What I want to tell the NPP General Secretary John Boadu who’s suddenly had a penchant for wearing suits and addressing press conferences and insulting ex-President Mahama is that he was elected General Secretary when the NPP had 169 seats in Parliament. He has failed woefully to protect the 169 seats and it has today dropped to 137 seats.
“If we are talking about competency and who is able to manage, John Boadu should not come and compare himself to Mr Mahama,” he told a gathering in Kumasi during Mr Mahama’s ‘Thank You’ tour of the region.
He stressed, “We went to the polls together and we are all witnesses to the logistics that the NPP deployed. We know the huge sums of monies the NPP spent during the elections and we also know all the things they shared to win votes.
“If you are a General Secretary and you are given all these things and you lose most of the seats you had and the NPP is using force to declare themselves the Majority in Parliament. How dare John Boadu to insult Mahama? I think that he has performed so abysmally that if it were to be the NDC, he would not have been given the chance or platform to be addressing press conference in the name of the party.”
You Think You’re Better Than Me?
But in an sharp rebuttal during an interview with Kwabena Kwakye on Oman Fm’s Boiling Point, John Boadu described the NDC capo as a total failure who could not get simple arithmetic right and even put up a national collation centre together for his party when he was director of elections.
“You put up such an abysmal performance when you were director of elections for the your party, you further led your party to lose the 2020 general elections and yet you think you are better than me?” he rhetorically asked.null
Epitome of Failure!
To him, Ofosu Ampofo can only be lucky in a party like the NDC where such things are allowed to happen, adding that he (John Boadu) will continue to speak and work for his party to secure another victory for them in the break-the-8-agenda.
“Look, i’m proud of myself as General Secretary who polled a whooping 1.5 million votes to secure victory for my party’s candidate and further clinched another five hundred thousand (500,000) for my candidate Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo Addo to retain his seat as president of this country.
“If there is any body who is failing, then i think you must check again and look no further than your self since you are an epitome of failure,” he added.
“Confused” History Lovership
The NPP General Secretary has in recent times held series of press conferences attacking Mr Mahama and his utterances on the economy. His latest media encounter was held last week where he launched a savage attack on the economic performance of the Mahama administration.
“Former President Mahama and Seth Terkper are on public record as being the worse duo to have ever been in charge of the Ghanaian economy at the same time. This pair is a dangerous pair, yet in their public forum on 6th September 2021, they sought to create the impression that they had the best of times running this Ghanaian economy.”
“Unfortunately for them, the facts shows otherwise. Much as John Mahama seek his re-election on a campaign platform of going back to the IMF, he attempts to confuse history by painting a rosy picture. He said he is somebody who loves history but he confuses history by attempting to paint a rosy picture of his disastrous management of the Ghanaian economy between 2012 and 2016,” Mr Boadu said the press briefing
“The general public is hereby informed that Tuesday, 21st September 2021, which marks Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day, is a Statutory Public Holiday and should be observed as such throughout the country,” a statement from the ministry said.
Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister of Foreign Affairs
The Foreign Affairs Minister says ECOWAS sent a delegation to Guinea to engage Condé but failed
Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, says the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) tried on several occasions to stop Alpha Condé from changing Guinea’s constitution.
President Condé of Guinea, deposed on 5 September, changed the country’s constitution to seek a third term in office.
Botchwey was addressing a press conference in the lead-up to an ECOWAS Heads of State summit in Accra on Thursday.
The minister said reports that the sub-regional block had looked on and failed to prevent Condé from going ahead to change the constitution are inaccurate.
Paddling beneath the surface
“What you see from the outside is that everybody is relaxed. That is not the case: there is a lot of engagement,” she told journalists on Wednesday.
“If we take the example of Guinea, if you recall, there was a referendum after the change of constitution … ECOWAS did not sit aloof and watch this happen.
“We engaged and I was even part of delegations that went there, sent by heads of state to engage with all stakeholders and to try and stop this … and engage with the president as well. But unfortunately, it did not happen,” the minister said.
She added: “When something like this happens let’s not assume that behind the scenes there is nothing happening.
“I can assure you that when anything of the sort happens, behind the scenes the heads of state, knowing fully well … that the country has signed on the protocol or the charter, but also is a sovereign state, … we have done everything behind the scenes with that colleague to engage.”
Leaders meet in Accra
Meanwhile, West African leaders will meet on Thursday to decide how to respond to the coup in Guinea and how to pressure the junta leaders to return the country to constitutional rule, the Foreign Minister said.
The 15-member ECOWAS has condemned the putsch that overthrew President Alpha Condé on 5 September. It was the third coup in West and Central Africa since April.
The bloc suspended Guinea from the decision-making bodies of the organisation last week and sent a mission to meet the coup leaders
Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Right Rev. Prof. Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante has waded into the #FixTheCountry trend on social media, telling campaigners who take delight to unwarrantedly attack government to fix their attitude.
According to him, Ghanaians should learn to desist from engaging in unnecessary lamentation and learn to change their attitudes to make the environment they find themselves better since government cannot do it alone. Some Ghanaians have expressed their disappointment in the government and have channeled their anger and frustrations on their social media handles.
While some are demanding better Ghana and developmental projects, others have been making unachievable requests from government, with some subtly calling for change of government.
However, Rt. Rev. Mante who appears to have observed the trend is advising the social media commentators to learn to fix their mouth and get job doing to change Ghana.
According to him, it is easy for people to sit on social media and make unnecessary lamentation when they have no idea how things work.
“Martin Luther King Junior once said anyone who is not committed to something is not fit to live. It is always easier to sit on the fence and talk and criticise. These days there is social media and people will just turn to social media. They are just sitting there, they won’t work saying fix the country, fix the church, fix the family but the only thing they will not fix is their mouth,” Rt. Rev. Mante said when speaking at the 38th Annual Delegates Conference of the Presbyterian Church.
The Presbyterian Moderator called for what he term as ‘hybrid system’ of governance which is fusing both capitalism and socialism in order to bring the citizens onboard in governing the country. “I will tell you something. Seriously I will tell you this. There are different ways of organsing a country. One is the socialist system and the other is the capitalist system. In the socialist system, they give all the authority to government and government alone must fix it. In the capitalist system, every individual have their own authority to do their thing. In a third world like Africa, the best system for us is to have the hybrid, a bit of this and a bit of that. So no government can fix the country alone, it will not happen, people must get up and work and stop being lazy and work.”
Whilst taking on the youth on their attitude, Rev. Mante did not mince words in telling government to invest the taxes of citizens in developing the nation.
He advised Ghanaians to take their destiny into their hands and desist from thinking that there is a political party which can help make the country better.
“On the other hand, government cannot sit there and take our taxes and chop the money, they must use the money to fix the country better. We need the hybrid, we need both but one thing I don’t want it to happen is for young men and women in this country to sit and think that there is a government somewhere, there is a party somewhere they can come and fix everything, it is not true. It is a lie.
“We must fix wherever we are, we must fix our environment and get job doing and yet having said that in the other hand, if you are taking purse of the whole country like you are taking our income tax. Use it to make the country better. We need both.
We need people who will fix their mind and the heart, people who will fix their attitude, we need government too that will help fix the country and when the two come together Ghana will become a better place and I pray that it shall be so,” he explained.
He was of the view that Ghanaians will continue to suffer when all they do is to sit on social media and lament over everything without getting involve in the development of the country, saying “And somebody must blow the whistle that we need to change stop lamenting. We will continue to suffer if we don’t stop unnecessary lamentation. Too many complain will make you sick
The Police in the Volta Region have arrested three persons defrauding the unsuspecting public with the recent Police recruitment drive.
The three, Amenyah Bernard, 18 years old, Adzikah Godsway 23 years old and Wemegah Godson 21 years old were arrested at Akatsi in the Volta Region last Tuesday, September 14, 2021.
A news release from the Public Affairs Unit of the Volta Regional Police Command explained that they were arrested following a fraudulent Facebook publication seeking to assist potential applicants to get enlisted in the Ghana Police Service.
The suspcts are alleged to have used the name of the Volta Regional Police Commander, DCOP Edward Oduro Kwarteng to create the fake page.
The release which was signed by the Public Affairs Officer, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Effia Tenge said preliminary investigations point to the fact that “many victims have paid various sums of money to the fraudsters with the hope of being favoured in the ongoing recruitment process.”
DSP Tenge stressed that the Police Command is not in anyway responsible for recruiting persons into the service, as such applicants should be wary of supposed ‘protocol’ allocations being offered all over the place.
She assured that the Police Command is resolute in pursuing recruitment challantants defrauding the unsuspecting public.
She therefore advised the public to be alert and promptly report any kind of scam in the region for swift action.
This latest arrest brings the total number of persons arrested in relation with recruitment fraud in the region to eight
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, has followed the path of Vice President Dr Bawumia to come to the aid of Psalm Adjeteyfio.
A few days ago, a video of the legendary actor begging for GH3000 to pay for his rent went viral. The plight of the actor known for his role as TT in the popular ‘Taxi Driver’ series, reached Dr Bawumia who paid GH50,000 for his rent with 20,000 pocket money.
Hon Henry Quartey in similar has also pledged to give a monthly stipend of GH¢1,500 to the ace Ghanaian actor, starting this month, September till 2024 when the eighth parliament expires. Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey
According to the Minister who is also the Member of Parliament for Ayawaso Central, he is inspired by TT’s positive impact in the film and entertainment industry, therefore, he is committing to the monthly deduction of GH¢1,500 from his parliamentary salary to be paid to TT.
An official statement from the Minister reads “inspired by the positive impact in the film and entertainment industry where you distinguished yourself, I have equally decided to support you with a monthly stipend of GHS 1,500.00 from my Parliamentary salary”.
“I have therefore placed a standing order for the monthly transfers to your account effective September 2021 till the end of my tenure in the Eighth Parliament of the Fourth Republic on 7th January 2025,” excerpts of his letter indicated.
This comes to add to the help TT has been receiving after the viral video. Businessman, Daniel McKorley, has also donated GH¢5,000 to support the actor with Aisha Modi also promising that Rev Obofour and a friend will build a house for him.
“Good news, Good news, Good news. The great king has done it again and this is a big surprise
“My father Nii Adotey Gyata the 1st and my very own brother @wanaafriq promise to build a house for Psalm Adjeteyfio, also known as T.T, a veteran Ghanaian actor. God protect and guide this kind souls, whatever they spend on this project turn thousands of blessings back to them and their generation,” Aisha Modi wrote on Instagram”.
• Kennedy Agyapong has indicated that he will retire from parliament in 2024
• He will however give thoughts to becoming the country’s president if there is widespread demand for him in that regard
• Kennedy Agyapong says he finds joy in creating jobs and employing people
Kennedy Agyapong, the Member of Parliament for Assin Central, has disclosed that he may consider running for president of the country if there is an overwhelming demand by Ghanaians.
Kennedy Agyapong is of the view that one needs not to assume the highest office on the land to make an impact.
The maverick lawmaker says he finds fulfilment in setting up companies and creating jobs but will give thoughts to gunning for presidency if calls are made in that regard.
Kennedy Agyapong told a US-based YouTuber that he is not focused on winning political power unlike some politicians.
“I have a personal belief that you don’t have to be a president to effect change in people’s life. I’m not a president but you can see the things I’m doing to help Ghanaians. That alone is enough but if a time comes that Ghanaians feel that you can lead and make a change, I will give myself some time and consider it. I don’t want to rush.
“Some people are consumed by power to the extent that they don’t even see realities but I just want to set up businesses and create employment. I have more joy in that than becoming a president but if there should be a change and people feel that this guy can do it, I may consider,” he said.
Kennedy Agyapong had earlier said that he will be exiting parliament in 2024 when his term as the lawmaker for Assin Central expires.
“I’m doing a lot for my people but a whopping 42 per cent of the electorates in the 2020 polls think I’m not doing well, so I’m leaving but would wait patiently to see if any MP can do what I did,” he told delegates at a gathering of the New Patriotic Party’s annual Delegates Conference in Assin-Fosu.
To buttress the seriousness of his decision, he added: “Even if I’m given 1,000 cows, I will not go back because I want the people to know that I am fighting for their wellbeing and not myself as an MP.”
A GNA report, noted that Agyapong however encouraged the party faithful who had gathered at Assin-Fosu to give full backing to the government in order to break the eight-year rule where an incumbent party loses power.
“I entreat you to stand firm and defend the government as measures are being put in place to improve the economy to bring relief to ordinary Ghanaians,” he stated.
Leaders from about 13 West African countries have started arriving in Ghana ahead of an ECOWAS extraordinary session scheduled to take place on Thursday, 16 September 2021.
The meeting is to discuss the military takeover in Guinea led by Colonel Mamadou Dambouya.
ECOWAS in an earlier meeting has suspended Guinea from its regional activities.
The upcoming meeting is to allow the authority of heads of states and Government under the Chairmanship of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of Ghana to explore ways of de-escalating the growing tension in the sub-region.
Already a special ECOWAS delegation led by Ghana’s foreign minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey has returned from Guinea with a report which will be tabled for consideration at the extraordinary summit.
Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration,Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchway speaking to the press on Wednesday, 15 September 2021 said Guinea and Mali would not be attending the Summit since the deliberation ia about the unrest in both countries.
Meanwhile, the Police has announced that parts of the Liberation and Independence roads in Accra will experience a temporary disruption of traffic flow on Thursday due to the summit.
The roadblock is to facilitate the transportation of Heads of States and Governments of who will participate in the extraordinary session.
Areas to be affected include; the Kotoka International Airport, Opebia, Akuafo Roundabout, Afrikiko, Ako-Adjei interchange, National Theatre, Ridge Roundabout, and finally Kempinski Hotel
The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has taken a swipe at lawyers engaged in what he called the “vicious and misguided” practices of denigrating the judiciary and undermining public confidence in the sound administration of justice.
According to him, there appear to be deliberate misrepresentation of the effect of court rulings as well as false and vitriolic commentary in the media and they are “purely inspired by a vile motive to run down the judiciary.”
Addressing the 2021 annual general conference of the Ghana Bar Association in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region on Monday, the Attorney General said the arena for a lawyer to test the strength of his/her reasoning or the validity of his/her argument is in the courtroom, and “not on the airwaves or modern day social media.”
“Even when applications duly filed in accordance with law and procedure are pending before the highest court of the land, some legal practitioners do not spare an effort to prejudice the minds of the public with mischievous analysis on public radio, television and social media, all calculated to force the hands of the judge(s) to deliver the verdict in a particular manner (sic),” he stated.
Deliberate Acts
Mr. Dame noted that such lawyers also do that deliberately to whip up sentiments of the public against the particular court hearing the matter in the event of an outcome not favourable to them.
“These practices are vicious and misguided to say the least,” he stressed and continued that he needed not to remind members of the GBA at the gathering that the responsibility for a fair and effective administration of the laws of the Republic of Ghana is a product of the collective efforts of all.”
“The nature of our laws enacted by Parliament, the procedure and judgment of our courts, the work of law enforcement officials, the wisdom, skill and zeal of the Bar are all crucial,” he indicated.
For the AG, throughout the history of Ghana, the judiciary has served the country well in its capacity to develop fundamental principles and give life to the aspirations of the citizen, and said “it is no time to destroy the same beyond redemption, or to, may I borrow the words of Lord Toulson at this stage, ‘to give it a funeral oration’.”
Judgment Debt
He recalled that the state was recently castigated widely for incurring a judgment debt in excess of $15 million as a result of the activities of the erstwhile Inter-Ministerial Committee on illegal mining about two years ago.
“In July this year, I successfully led the prosecution of an application to set aside the said judgment. Some lawyers who are active players on the social media, perhaps feeling disappointed that a weapon deployed by them in their attack on the State’s measures to resuscitate the war against illegal mining – ‘galamsey’ had been destroyed, mounted unwarranted attacks on me and the judge who delivered the ruling, with some suggesting rather preposterously and absurdly, that the Judge in question should be removed from office.”
“How ridiculous! It is as if they revel in judgments or rulings against the State, and when the same are successfully challenged, it is disappointment galore for them,” he said.
He assured the Bar that so far as he is the Attorney-General of Ghana the State would “zealously protect its interest in litigation, just as private legal practitioners will protect the interests of their clients.”
“A victory for the State, to the chagrin of a private person, is no justification for unwarranted attacks on public officers responsible for the State’s victory,” Mr. Dame posited.
Necessary Effort
He stated further that the necessary “efforts are being made to ensure that the industry of state attorneys is properly complemented with a supply of resources required to assist them in the discharge of their constitutional functions.”
“I must report that in response to a special appeal I made to Cabinet in June, this year, the Minister for Finance has released the entire sum stated as required for a satisfaction of the needs, and out of this, 89 vehicles as well as office equipment necessary for our work will be procured for the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice,” he revealed.
He added that he was happy to say that per the timelines for the procurement activity, the entire 89 vehicles will be delivered within 10 – 12 weeks, and that all regional offices and relevant agencies under the Ministry would have their fair share of the supply.
“Work on a 12 storey building to accommodate the Office is also steadily progressing and is on course to be completed within about 18 months. We are grateful to you, Mr. President. A well-oiled Attorney General’s Department is the biggest signpost for improved conditions in the practice of law
The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress Samuel Ofosu Ampofo has hit hard at the General Secretary of the ruling party John Boadu describing him as a failure.
According to him, Mr Boadu has no right criticise former President John Mahama because he failed to protect his party’s seat in Parliament during the 2020 electioneering.
“What I want to tell the NPP General Secretary John Boadu who’s suddenly had a penchant for wearing suits and addressing press conferences and insulting ex-President Mahama is that he was elected General Secretary when the NPP had 169 seats in Parliament. He has failed woefully to protect the 169 seats and it has today dropped to 137 seats. If we are talking about competency and who is able to manage, John Boadu should not come and compare himself to Mr Mahama,” he told a gathering in Kumasi during Mr Mahama’s Thank You tour of the region
He stressed: “We went to the polls together and we are all witnesses to the logistics that the NPP deployed. We know the huge sums of monies the NPP spent during the elections and we also know all the things they shared to win votes. If you are a General Secretary and you are given all these things and you lose most of the seats you had and the NPP is using force to declare themselves the Majority in Parliament. How dare John Boadu to insult Mahama. I think that he has performed so abysmally that if it were to be the NDC, he would not have been given the chance or platform to be addressing press conference in the name of the party.”
The NPP General Secretary has in recent times held series of press conferences attacking Mr Mahama and his utterances on the economy.
“Former President Mahama and Seth Terkper are on public record as being the worse duo to have ever been in charge of the Ghanaian economy at the same time.
“This pair is a dangerous pair, yet in their public forum on 6th September 2021, this pair sought to create the impression that they had the best of times running this Ghanaian economy,”
“Unfortunately for them the facts shows otherwise. Much as John Mahama seek his re-election on a campaign platform of going back to the IMF, he attempts to confuse history by painting a rosy picture. He said he is somebody who loves history but he confuses history by attempting to paint a rosy picture of his disastrous management of the Ghanaian economy between 2012 and 2016,” Mr Boadu said at a press briefing last week
The Koforidua Circuit Court “B” presided by Her Honour Mercy Adei -Kotei has convicted the 30-year-old carpenter who abducted and defiled a 14-year-old girl, to seven (7) years imprisonment with hard labour.
Keteku Enock Yaw was convicted on his own plea of guilty on the first count of defilement.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to the second count of abduction hence expected to reappear before the court for trial to continue.
The Prosecuting Officer Chief Inspector Richmond Keelson told the Court on September 7, 2021, when the case was first heard that, the complainant in the case who stays with the victim travelled to Nkawkaw to attend a funeral on August 27, 2021 and left the victim in the care of her sister.
She was informed upon arrival on August 30, 2021 that the victim had gone missing since August 28, 2021.
During the search of the whereabouts of the victim, her dress was found hanging on a dry line on the corridor of the convict’s room in the same vicinity.
The convict came out of the room when the door was knocked. The complainant and a witness in the case forcibly entered the room only to see the victim lying on the bed of the accused person.
He was arrested and handed over to DOVVSU. The victim said the accused had sexual intercourse with her and locked her in the room whenever he went out.
The convict admitted having sexual intercourse with the victim only twice.
A police medical report was issued to the victim which a medical doctor confirmed that the victim had been defiled.
He was charged with abduction and defilement.
The victim told Starr news the convict Keteku Enock Yaw had Sexual intercourse with her four times a day and locked her in the room whenever he went out.
“He had sexual intercourse with me four times daily. He locks me in the room whenever he is leaving to work. He bought food for me once a day. Bled during the first day. Now I feel pain. He bought some dresses for me that when I give birth then I would wear them
WAEC has postponed the writing of Business Management and Physics in its ongoing WASSCE over leakage.
Information reaching SmartMediaGh.com has it that the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) has postponed Physics and Business Management papers over leakage.
The papers, which were supposed to be written today, Wednesday, September 15, 2021 were postponed due to alodged publication of the questions on social media.
The Council has scheduled the papers to Monday, October 11, 2021.
Meanwhile, Education think tank, Africa Education Watch has commended the examination body for the action taken.
The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress Samuel Ofosu Ampofo has hit hard at the General Secretary of the ruling party John Boadu describing him as a failure.
According to him, Mr Boadu has no right criticise former President John Mahama because he failed to protect his party’s seat in Parliament during the 2020 electioneering.
“What I want to tell the NPP General Secretary John Boadu who’s suddenly had a penchant for wearing suits and addressing press conferences and insulting ex-President Mahama is that he was elected General Secretary when the NPP had 169 seats in Parliament. He has failed woefully to protect the 169 seats and it has today dropped to 137 seats. If we are talking about competency and who is able to manage, John Boadu should not come and compare himself to Mr Mahama,” he told a gathering in Kumasi during Mr Mahama’s Thank You tour of the region
He stressed: “We went to the polls together and we are all witnesses to the logistics that the NPP deployed. We know the huge sums of monies the NPP spent during the elections and we also know all the things they shared to win votes. If you are a General Secretary and you are given all these things and you lose most of the seats you had and the NPP is using force to declare themselves the Majority in Parliament. How dare John Boadu to insult Mahama. I think that he has performed so abysmally that if it were to be the NDC, he would not have been given the chance or platform to be addressing press conference in the name of the party.”
The NPP General Secretary has in recent times held series of press conferences attacking Mr Mahama and his utterances on the economy.
“Former President Mahama and Seth Terkper are on public record as being the worse duo to have ever been in charge of the Ghanaian economy at the same time.
“This pair is a dangerous pair, yet in their public forum on 6th September 2021, this pair sought to create the impression that they had the best of times running this Ghanaian economy,”
“Unfortunately for them the facts shows otherwise. Much as John Mahama seek his re-election on a campaign platform of going back to the IMF, he attempts to confuse history by painting a rosy picture. He said he is somebody who loves history but he confuses history by attempting to paint a rosy picture of his disastrous management of the Ghanaian economy between 2012 and 2016,” Mr Boadu said at a press briefing last week
Government has approved the selection of Rocksure International as a strategic partner for the Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC).
This is to enable the development of the $6billion Nyinahin-Mpasaaso mine which constitutes project two of the four phase Integrated Aluminium Industry (IAI) in Ghana.
Announcing the decision during the launch of the Integrated Aluminium Industry projects and signing ceremony of project two (2) Tuesday evening, President Akufo-Addo said the choice of a wholly owned Ghanaian company was indeed a major step towards building capacity in Ghana for the bauxite industry through a partnership that will ensure that the country develops a Ghanaian solution that will propel her rapid growth.
“I am happy to announce that GIADEC has completed the selection of a strategic partner for project 2 which is the development of the mine at Nyinahin-Mpasaaso with a refinery. This is a significant development and one that brings us closer to realising our plan. Rocksure International, a wholly owned Ghanaian company is that strategic partner” was how he put it.
He has since congratulated Rocksure international on their selection after due process, saying “the choice of a Ghanaian company in a highly competitive process is very pleasing in a time when we are looking for home grown companies that can compete with the best across the world.”
Commitment President Akufo-Addo indicated that his administration through the country’s regulatory bodies will ensure that bauxite mining to be carried out by the GIADEC – Rocksure International partnership, is done in a manner that will preserve the nation’s forest reserves and water bodies.
“A key area of attention in the development of this entire plan has been the focus on environmental issues with respect to the exploitation of our significant mining deposits. We believe that mining can and must be done in a responsible manner” the President said.
Chief Executive Officer of GIADEC, Michael Ansah anticipated that mining operations, after preliminary works and studies, will commence within 24 months.
“Development of a refinery solution will commence in tandem, with construction timeline estimated at 4 years. Global trends indicate a growing demand for aluminium and related products. Our mission, is timely! And Our vision, ‘to be the leading integrated Aluminium Company in Africa’ defines our intent and our bold aspirations” he said.
He however indicated their preparedness to confront the issues of environmental concerns, transportation bottlenecks, the high energy intensive process of aluminium production, and the need to develop clean energy solutions with a sense of urgency.
That, he said was because “GIADEC has come a long way in establishing our foundations for growth. What remains is for us to build on these foundations. This is a national agenda, an investment in our collective future, that requires collaboration from all. Together we can, and shall make history.”
Rocksure International
Rocksure International Limited has over the years developed a considerable capacity and flexibility for implementing measures to meet the challenges of planning, equipping and staffing various mining sites.
This is the case particularly in Ghana, the Company’s home country where local content has been identified as a key component in the redefinition of mining as an important platform in its Economic Development.
In this connection, Rocksure’s local and sub-regional knowledge, expertise and experience have particularly empowered them to link up with all key stakeholders to deliver the basis for the emerging developmental partnerships.
Rocksure International operates as a one-stop-shop for all the mining needs of companies based in the West African sub-region.
In particular, the Company undertakes modularized jobs such as Drilling, Blasting, Load and Haul etc. their proven activities to date have been; Grade control (RC) drilling, BlastHole Drilling and blasting, Mine construction activities such as Haul Road, Public Roads, Tailings dams, ROM PAD construction and other earthworks and recently Crushed Ore Stockpile management.
Elsewhere within the sub-region, the company has successfully undertaken such related contract projects in Mauritania and Mali.
GIADEC
Ghana lntegrated Aluminium Development Corporation (GIADEC) was established through an Act of Parliament in August 2018 to develop and promote a globally competitive Integrated Aluminium Industry (1AI) in Ghana.
The mandate of GIADEC fits within Government of Ghana’s (GoG) Ghana Beyond AID Agenda of reviving the manufacturing industry and adding value to our minerals, oil and gas. This agenda will be driven by an Integrated Aluminium Industry that will utilize and run on the back of our bauxite deposits and a petro- chemical industry. (Ghana Beyond AID Charter, 2019).
GIADEC seeks to leverage on Ghana’s existing bauxite reserves and allied aluminium assets, including its interest in Ghana Bauxite Company (GBC) and Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO), to drive the full commercial exploitation of the country’s bauxite reserves, and add value through refining bauxite into Alumina, and smelting Alumina to produce Aluminium, whilst encouraging the development of downstream industries.
Integral to this is attracting strategic investment and local participation across the value chain. GIADEC is required to hold a minimum equity of 30% in any joint venture in the integrated industry.
Whiles delivering on this mandate, GIADEC also seeks to ensure that the environment as well as the interest of all stakeholders, in particular those of the mining communities that will be impacted by mining and associated activities, are protected
Veteran actor, Psalm Adjeteyfio, has expressed his utmost gratitude to Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia for the kind gesture he has shown him.
The Vice President on Monday donated GH¢50,000 to the ‘Taxi Driver’ actor for his rent and upkeep. This was after the actor made a public appeal for Ghanaians to support him raise an amount of GH¢3,000 for his rent.
The appeal was contained in a viral video from his interview with Step1 TV. The Vice President, after seeing the video of his interview decided to go to his aid.
The presenter, who interviewed the actor popularly known as TT, subsequently presented GH¢30,000 from the Vice President to TT. That money was to pay for the actor’s rent for five years. An additional amount of GH¢20,000 from the President was presented to him for his general upkeep.
A social media video on Tuesday captured TT expressing his gratitude to the Vice President.
“Mr. Vice President I am really really honoured. Tears don’t come to me easily but in such situations before I realise the tears will roll down. So please if you see that the tears are rolling down I’m sorry. I am really really …I am, I am … I don’t know what to say. I thank you so much. I really really thank you,” he said as he shed tears
The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) says although it has accepted an apology by the Police following the assault of some journalists at the Accra High Court on Monday but wants swift justice against the perpetrators.
The Founder and Leader of the Glorious Word Power Ministries International, Reverend Isaac Owusu-Bempah, was arrested and remanded into Police custody by an Accra High Court after he stormed the residence of Agradaa, in real life, Patricia Oduro Koranteng.
Rev Owusu-Bempah and four others, Mensah Ofori, Michael Boateng, Frederick Ohene and Nathaniel Agyekum were together charged with six counts.
They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges pressed against them for threatening to attack Nana Agradaa, a self-styled fetish priestess who claimed to have repented and accepted the Christian faith.
It was reported that some journalists were prevented from entering the courtroom during the arraignment of Owusu Bempah and the other suspects.
It was also reported that some journalists were attacked and prevented from working at the court premises by some persons believed to be church members and supporters of the above-accused persons.
However, the Ghana Police Service has apologised to the media over the assault of the journalists at the Accra High Court.
“We apologise unreservedly for this inconvenience and wish to give the assurance that journalists will be fully protected and allowed to do their work at all times including the subsequent coverage of this case,” the Police stated in a statement issued September 14, 2021.
It continued that, “We will continue to do everything possible to deepen the cordial Police-Media relationship.”
But responding to this, the GJA stated that, “While we welcome the apology of the Police Administration and assurance of future protection for journalists, the GJA principally holds the view that the timely gesture of the rebranded Ghana Police does not and should not absolve the offenders from tasting the biting edge of the law as articulated by Article 17(1) of the Constitution which simply says no one is above the law.”
It continued that, ”With all the vehemence it can muster, the GJA condemns the latest desecration of the rights of journalists and affront of press freedom and demands swift justice against the uncouth men of Owusu Bempah.”
Meanwhile, the GJA added that,”While the landmark trial travels its full throttle, we urge the law and order community not to allow the latest attacks against journalists to be overshadowed by the dominant case or swept under the carpet. Justice must manifestly and expeditiously be done the victims to amplify the message that no one is indeed above the law
Former President John Mahama says some Ashanti businessmen have confessed to him that they voted against him in the past despite the growth their businesses experienced under his tenure.
Speaking to some NDC supporters in Kumasi as part of his Thank You tour of the country, Mr Mahama said some business people in the region have had a change of mind after experiencing the governance of the New Patriotic Party under President Akufo-Addo.
“Yesterday, from Ejura we met some businesspeople who disclosed that their businesses were booming during Prof Mills and my era. They told me they voted against me and currently they have a change of mind because their businesses are not yielding well as compared to my tenure.
“They are currently being chased by Internal Revenue and EOCO. They said we will try you this time because we believe the NDC can liberate Ghanaians”.
Meanwhile, former Member of Parliament for Mion Abdul Aziz Mohammed has urged the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to allow Mr Mahama to go unopposed as presidential candidate in the 2024 elections.
According to the former MP, Mr. Mahama who contested the 2020 election on the ticket of the party and lost to president Akufo-Addo is the only one poised to recapture power for the party given his proven record and popularity.
“Left to me as an individual we should go for popular acclamation. Whoever has an ambition to lead the party can do that after president Mahama. We must hold ourselves together and the only way we can hold ourselves together as a party is to allow president Mahama who has proven to be very popular by his legacy to continue to lead our party into the next elections
President Akufo-Addo has assured Private Sector players that the Business Compact which will constitute the outcome of the inaugural Presidential Business Summit (PBS) between government and the private sector, will be fully respected and implemented on the side of his administration.
The PBS is an annual calendar event organised by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, in collaboration with the Office of the President and selected Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
The Summit aims at providing a platform for structured dialogue between government and the private sector on critical areas of interest to the private sector.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the two-day inaugural Presidential Business Summit at the Kempinski hotel gold coast city under the theme: “Public-Private dialogue on the role of the Private Sector in Ghana’s Post COVID-19 Economic Recovery”, President Akufo-Addo said a strong private sector is the surest way for the Ghanaian economy to fully recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The thematic areas and sectors selected for deliberations during this two-day presidential business summit have been carefully chosen to ensure that the outcome will be an actionable “Business Compact” with clear commitments for both government and the private sector” Akufo-Addo said.
“Government will ensure the fulfillment of its obligations under this Compact and I hope that you, private sector operators will also do the same” the President added.
Trade Minister
Trade and Industry Minister, Alan Kyerematen, in his remarks noted that the outcome of the summit, (Ghana Business Compact), will detail out specific priority areas of government policy interventions in support of private sector development and will feed into government’s Policy Framework for private sector development, including the budget statement and the economic policy for the Year 2022.
Five Thematic Areas
The deliberations in the plenary sessions will focus on five cross-cutting thematic areas: first, will be Fiscal and Non-Fiscal Incentives to Support Production and Private Sector Development;
Secondly, foreign exchange regulation and currency stability. Thirdly, access to finance and cost of capital.
Fourthly, nnergy pricing, availability, access and reliability and lastly, supporting local industries through Government procurement and local content regulation.
Seven Economic Sectors
There will also be breakout sessions for a deep dive into seven economic sectors, namely; Agriculture and Agribusiness; Manufacturing; Construction and Mining; Financial Services; Information and Communication Technology; Tourism and Hospitality; and Transport and Logistics.
Summit Speakers
Speakers at the summit include Mr Pierre Frank Laporte, the Country Director for World Bank Group; Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Senior Presidential Advisor; Mr Alan Kyerematen, Minister of Trade and Industry; and Mr Ken Ofori Atta, Finance Minister.
Other speakers will include Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Energy Minister; Mr Charles Adu-Boahen, Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, and Dr Ernest Addison, Governor of the Bank of Ghana
THE MUCH-talked about Suame Interchange road project in Kumasi, will be completed before the end of 2024, it has been announced.
The Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, giving the firm assurance, said the government is determined to solve the traffic problem there once and for all.
“The sod-cutting ceremony for the Suame Interchange project will take place either before the end of 2021 or the first quarter of 2022,” he said, adding that “it is a four tier road project like the Pokuase Interchange so it has the potential of easing traffic flow and boosting economic activities.”
Mr. Osei Mensah stated that President Akufo-Addo’s government has good plans for the Ashanti Region.
Aside the Suame Interchange project, he disclosed that four additional new interchange projects earmarked for Kumasi in particular, are pending, saying “the other four interchange projects that are pending, would be constructed at Santase, Ahodwo and Bekwai roundabouts as well as Oforikrom.”
The Ashanti Regional Minister said the Bekwai Roundabout Interchange project “is part of the Sofoline Interchange project, which is currently ongoing.”
He said the contractor in charge of the Sofoline Interchange project, has been told to concentrate on the Tanoso to Abuakwa section before returning to Bekwai Interchange project.
“We are all aware of the perennial vehicular traffic problem that the people face virtually on a daily basis from the Tanoso section to Abuakwa. We have therefore, asked the contractor to work and clear the traffic problem from Tanoso to Abuakwa first to ease the burden on the road users before tackling the Bekwai Roundabout project,” he said
Charles Kwabla (CK) Akonnor, former Ghana coach, is reportedly set for a huge payout following the termination of his contract.
The 47-year-old was shown the exit on Monday, September 13, 2021, following the Black Stars’ poor run of results in the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers.
Akonnor and his two assistants, David Duncan and Patrick Greveraars, have also been fired according to a statement by the Ghana Football Association (GFA).
According to a report, the Black Stars coach will receive a payout of $275,000 after his sack.
Akonnor was on a salary of $25,000 as Ghana coach, having signed a two-year contract in January 2020.
This means the GFA now owes the former Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko manager $100,000 for the remaining four months of his contract.
The report further suggests that Akonnor is owed seven months arrears, which add up to about $275,000.
Akonnor was appointed as Ghana coach in January 2019 as a replacement for Kwesi Appiah on a two-year deal.
The former Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko manager, however, failed to impress during his time in charge of the Black Stars.
Tullow Ghana, an independent oil and gas exploration group has appointed Cynthia Lumor as Deputy Managing Director, effective 1st October 2021.××
Mrs. cynthia Lumor, a lawyer by profession, becomes the first woman to be appointed as Deputy Managing Director of Tullow Ghana since it began operations in 2006.
Until her appointment as Deputy Managing Director, Mrs. Lumor served on the leadership team of Tullow Ghana and was Director for Corporate Affairs with responsibility for External Affairs and Social Performance, and oversight of Human Resources, Information Systems and Facilities Management.
She joined Tullow Ghana in 2017 from Scancom Ltd (MTN Ghana) where she was Corporate Services Executive. Prior to joining MTN Ghana, she was the Information Specialist for AT&T, an American telecommunications conglomerate in the United States and over an 18-year period, rose to become Director in charge of the Research and Analysis Department.
Cynthia also worked at GNPC, as a Senior Legal Officer where within a year, she rose to become the Head of Department. She was involved in the drafting of the Petroleum Law which created the structure and legal framework for an independent regulator in the Oil and Gas industry.
Mrs. Lumor has several years of experience in the Oil and Gas industry, having previously worked for the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation as Principal Legal Officer.
As Deputy Managing Director, Mrs. Lumor will be responsible for the integration of the non-technical functions within the Ghana business and will continue to support MD Wissam Al Monthiry in driving Tullow’s plans to invest over $4 billion in Ghana over the next 10 years.
Speaking on her appointment, Chief Executive Officer of Tullow, Rahul Dhir said: “I am delighted that Cynthia has been appointed to this important role. Since Wissam assumed office last year, Cynthia has been instrumental in managing our key government and external relationships in Ghana and her promotion reflects her important role in delivering Tullow’s strategy in Ghana.”
Ms. Lumor holds an LLB (Hons) from University of Ghana and a practicing certificate from the Ghana School of Law.
President Akufo-Addo with John-Peter Amewu cream top) and Volta Minister, Dr. Archibald Letsa (Blue black Kaftan)
President Nana Akufo-Addo has described the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) victory in the Hohoe constituency during the December 2020 elections as a big breakthrough that will be replicated in other constituencies in the Volta Region.
“It is an important bridgehead we have been given by the people of Hohoe to extend our expansion into the region,” he stressed.
He said the Volta region in general has been a big problem for the party to deal with. Apart from a seat they won in Nkwanta North when the Volta and Oti was one region (then Volta Region), the party has never been able to win any seat in the central and southern part since the fourth republic (1992).
It was therefore gratifying that John-Peter Amewu was able to win the party’s first seat in Hohoe, a stronghold of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
The President made the observation when he spoke on VOV Radio in Hohoe during his tour of the Volta Region last week.
He noted that although the Volta Region continues to be a big problem for the NPP, “I am a very persistent suitor. So when I talk about marrying the Volta region. I mean it. When I set my eyes or myself on a particular target, unless it’s God, I do not give up.”
He therefore used the opportunity “to say a big thank you to the people of Hohoe. Because they have done something very dramatic. I did not win the Presidential votes here, but my candidate John Peter Amewu won the parliamentary seat. It is a big big breakthrough for us and for our party and the Volta Region.”
President Akufo-Addo revealed that the win was a reclamation of history, as Hohoe used to be a strong supporter of the UP tradition from which the NPP was born.
“It is true that those who are familiar with history will tell you that a long time ago in the early years of our independence. The years of CPP and UP. Hohoe was a UP stronghold. In fact the very famous Political figure, S.G. Antoh was a native and an indigene of Hohoe. He was a very close friend of Dr. Dankwa and Dr. Busia. They all worked together.” He recounted.
“So if you like what we have done is to recapture our history. It is a very important breakthrough for us. We have not so far had a seat in the Volta region except for the previous Northern Volta which is now Oti region.”
Sources in the party say the NPP is working to win two additional seats out of the 18 seats in the region.
Dynamic Amewu
President Akufo-Addo also thanked the Hohoe people for giving him what he described as “this very dynamic personality, John-Peter Amewu as your MP.” He added that “he is a hardworking and important member of my government. Who is a key contributor to government discussions and decisions.”
He appealed to the people to continue to support and assist him to deliver more development to the area, because there is more Mr. Amewu can offer. “If you continue to stand behind him, I have no doubt that you will continue to see positive transformation of the constituency
President Nana Ado Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said that his administration will deepen engagement with the private sector to ensure the local economy remains stronger.
Mr Akufo-Addo revealed in his opening remarks at a two-day annual presidential business summit in Accra on Tuesday September 14 that Ghana is at the moment witnessing a single digit inflation and also strong reserve in Foreign Direct Investments (FDIs).
These, according to him, are signs the economy is bouncing back.
“Low inflation rate, stable currency, strong reserve position in FDI flows are clear indications of our collective desire to restore the Ghanaian economy onto a path of sustained stability and growth.
“We will continue to strengthen and deepen our engagement with the private sector towards realizing this goal,” he said.
The Government Statistician Professor Samuel Kobina Annim had earlier announced that the Year-on-year inflation rate for August stood at 9.7 per cent compared to 9.0 per cent in July,.
The month-on month inflation between July, 2021 and August, 2021 was 0.3 per cent.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra, alcoholic beverages were the dominant drivers for the higher rate of inflation in August 2021.
He said food contributed more than half to overall inflation, when combined with housing more than two-thirds, and further including transport more than four-fifths.
In the area of FDIs, the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre had also announced that in last year, Ghana saw a surge in FDI inflows, recording an impressive 2.6 billion dollars’ worth of inbound investments for the year.
The trend defied the anticipated steep decline in FDI flows as a second wave of COVID 19 infections threatened to cripple the Ghanaian economy.
A report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development placed the pandemic-induced decline in global FDI at 42 percent. The fall was however highly uneven across developing regions: -37% in Latin America and the Caribbean, -18% in Africa and -4% in developing countries in Asia.
While Ghana had initially witnessed a plateau in FDI inflows during the first wave of infection and its ensuing lockdowns, investments well along saw a rebound on the back of government policy responses to mitigate the impact of the health pandemic on businesses.
Total investment inflows thus peaked to US$2,796.49 million in 2020, with a total FDI value of US$2,650.97 million for Ghana. The FDI value of US$2,650.97 million illustrates a significant increase of 139.06% over the FDI value of US$1,108.93 million recorded in 2019.
With the considerable inflow of investments, some 279 projects were registered within the year. This comprised 129 newly registered projects, 131 upstream developments and 19 free zones activities -dispersed across eight regions, with Greater Accra registering the highest number of 231 projects. Cumulatively, some 27,110 jobs are expected to be generated from the aforementioned registered projects.
For the year under review, some countries that stood out as the nation’s leading sources of inward investments included, China, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia and the Netherlands
Mortal remains of late Hajia Mariama Bawumia arrives in Walewale
The mortal remains of the late Hajia Mariama Bawumia, mother of Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia have arrived in Walewale in the North East Region for burial.
The late Hajia Mariama Bawumia is expected to be laid to rest at the family house in Walewale.
Hajia Mariama passed away peacefully yesterday September 13, 2021, in Accra.
The late Hajia Mariama Bawumia was born on September 15,1939 and died at the age of 82 years.
She is to be buried at the same spot with her husband the late Mumuni Bawumia, at their house in Walewale.
Vice President , Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, also arrived at the family house in Walewale accompanied by elders of the family.
The National Chairman of the NPP, Freddie Blay, National Secretary, John Boadu, National Organizer, Sammy Awuku and other bigwigs of the NPP are at the burial grounds in Walewale.
Other dignitaries include the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, Majority leader in parliament, Kyei Mensah Bonsu, Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu, Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, Ministers and Deputy Ministers of State, CEOs, MMDCEs, Member of Parliament, Members of the opposition NDC, Chairman, and leader of the CPP, Nana Akosua Frimpong Sarpong Kumakuma among others
Reverend Isaac Owusu Bempah, the General Overseer of Glorious Word Power Ministry International has been sent back to cells from the Police hospital to serve his one-week remand.
The embattled Man of God reported sick at the Police Hospital, after being remanded with four others on Monday.
Reports say he was treated and discharged in hours and returned to cells.
Reverend Isaac Owusu Bempah, the General Oversee of Glorious Word Power Ministry International has been remanded into police custody after being charged for threat of death.
Rev Bempah, and four others Mensah Ofori, Michael Boateng, Frederick Ohene, and Nathaniel Agyekum were together charged with six counts.
They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges pressed against them for threatening to kill Patricia Oduro Koranteng, popularly known as Nana Agradaa.
While Owusu Bempah and Mensah Ofori were charged with two counts of Offensive Conduct Conducive to the breach of peace and threat of death, the remaining three were also charged with assault on a public officer.
One other person is at large.
Though their lawyers led by Lawyer Garry Nimako Marfo prayed for the accused persons to be granted bail, prosecution led by Chief Inspector Dennis Terkpetey opposed the bail.
It was the case of the prosecution that two of the police officers they assaulted are still on admission at the hospital.
The court presided over by Her Honour Afia Owusua Appiah dismissed the application for bail to allow prosecution enough time to investigate the case since they were only arrested yesterday.
The accused persons were subsequently remanded into Police custody to reappear on
The governing board of the Achimota School and the AG have separately appelaed the ruling.pronounced by an Accra High Court to admit some two Rastafarians.
Achimota School and the Attorney-General’s office have filed an appeal challenging the High Court’s order for the school to admit dreadlock-wearing student, Tyrone Marhguy.
According to the school, the court among others erred by indicating the rules and regulations of Achimota School with regard to ensuring uniformity in appearance is unlawful and interferes with the manifestation of one’s religious rights.
The school, therefore, urged the Appeals Court to set the entire judgment that orders it to admit the student aside, and the plaintiff ordered to comply with the school’s regulations if he chooses to be a student of the school.
Meanwhile, the Attorney-General’s office has also filed an appeal on the case, asking the court to uphold Achimota School’s arguments and rule in favour of the school.
The notice of appeal sighted by Citi News among other things said the judge who adjudicated that matter and gave victory to the two boys failed to get the plaintiffs to provide evidence of their claims.
The AG’s office also said the judge erred in claiming that Achimota School had interfered with the right to the education of the boys.
“The learned Judge erred when she held that the regulation of the 1st Respondent requiring that students keep their hair low amounted to an illegal and unconstitutional attempt to suspend the manifestation of the Applicant’s guaranteed freedom to practice and manifest his religion…. The learned Judge erred when she held that Respondent’s actions of asking the Applicant to step aside during the registration process are a violation of his right to dignity especially when the 2nd Respondent had disputed the veracity of that fact,” the AG’s office stated among the grounds for its claim.
An Accra High Court on Monday, May 31, 2021, delivered its ruling regarding the denial of two Rastafarian boys; Tyrone Marhguy and Oheneba Nkrabea admission to Achimota School because they failed to cut their dreadlocks.
Justice Gifty Adjei Addo, the Presiding Judge, disagreed with the submissions of the Attorney General and granted all the reliefs separately sought by the embattled students except the relief of compensation in the case of Tyrone Marhguy.
According to Justice Addo, it is preposterous for the Attorney General to have even suggested that the two were not students in the first place.
Justice Gifty Adjei Addo consequently directed Achimota School to admit the two Rastafarian students.
Following the court’s decision, Achimota School through its board announced that it will appeal the decision.
The school subsequently made efforts to secure a stay of execution order in order to freeze the implementation of the order, but later announced a withdrawal of the decision.
The school’s board in a statement on Wednesday, June 2, 2021, said it is however committed to an appeal against the ruling of the High Court.
The two boys were subsequently enrolled in the school.
The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has attributed the recent decline in COVID-19 active cases to the strict adherence to the safety protocols by the populace.
Ghana currently has a little over 5,000 Covid-19 with one thousand and eighty-nine deaths.
Speaking to Citi News, Director General of GHS Dr. Patrick Kumah- Aboagye cautioned against complacency on the part of citizens to erode the gains made thus far.
“We have moved from recording 600 cases a day to about 300 to sometimes below 300. The public got serious about social distancing and the wearing of nose masks and that has contributed significantly to this, but most importantly the fact we are vaccinating more people in the hotspot areas.”
Dr. Patrick Kumah- Aboagye further stated that the Service is currently training its personnel on the use of the 1.2 million Moderna vaccines it received from the US government on September 4, 2021.
He however said priority will be given to high-risk areas in the country.
“Every vaccine has its training requirement and because we haven’t received Moderna before, we have currently started training our personnel and the FDA has also done its proper certification. The deployment plan will focus on where the risk is high.”
Meanwhile, the country is expecting an additional 1.3 million Pfizer vaccines by the end of September.
Ghana has already made use of 177,600 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
So far, the country has received a little over 3.2 million vaccines.
Barely four hours after the founder and leader of Glorious Word and Power Ministries Reverend Isaac Owusu Bempah was denied bail and remanded into Police custody by an Accra High Court, he is said to have suddenly taken ill.null
MyNewsGh.com gathers that the renowned Pastor who always boasts of being friends with the President of Ghana Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has been rushed to the Police Hospital where he is on admission under armed police guard.
He is said to have been handcuffed to his sickbed while a police guard is stationed by him to ensure that he does not escape pending his discharge.
Sources at the Police Hospital reveal that he had been calling on friends in higher offices within the corridors of power to plead with them to get at least the handcuffs off him as he receives medical attention but that has proven futile.null
It could be remembered that Rev. Owusu Bempah and four others were remanded by an Accra High Court for assaulting Police officers who were at his church to effect an arrest on Sunday, September 12, 2021.
Owusu Bempah and his Junior Pastors were seen on videos on social media threatening new convert Nana Agradaa while brandishing guns.
In a separate video, the Pastor was seen with his Junior Pastors had stormed the residence of Nana Agradaa and were threatening an attack on her if she had stepped out of her house to the compound.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged members of the Ghana Bar Association to pay their taxes.
According to the President, if the nation is to get the developments citizens crave, then paying taxes must become a regular and unquestioning feature of every Ghanaian including lawyers.
Nana Akufo-Addo noted that records show that lawyers are often at the top of the list of those who flout the tax laws describing it as embarrassing.
The President said these on Monday, 13 September 2021, when he delivered the keynote address at 2021 Conference of the Ghana Bar Association, in Bolgatanga, Upper East Region, on the theme “Ensuring an increase in revenue mobilisation through taxation for the purpose of accelerated national development: the role of the lawyer”.
He said: “I have to point out that if this campaign you are undertaking is to be successful, you will have to start from home. Mr. outgoing president of the Bar, there is no easy way of putting this, you will have to start by getting members of the bar to pay their taxes”.
“The record of lawyers in paying taxes is being historically poor. It is unfortunate but the most unpleasant fact that the members of our profession have not been known to set a good example when it comes to paying taxes” Nana Akufo-Addo stated.
“They appear to think that being members of the learned profession put them above complying with everyday civic duties like paying taxes. It is embarrassing that lawyers are often at the top of the list of those who flout our tax laws and use their expertise to avoid paying taxes” the President bemoaned.
He urged lawyers to pay their taxes and encourage others do so same
Former President Jonh Dramani Mahama has called Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia to console him for the loss of his mother.
The death of the Vice President’s mother was announced by the Vice President in a statement and Mr Mahama has become the latest of a growing list of personalities who have shared their message of commiseration with Dr Bawumia and his family.
“I just got off the phone with my brother, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to console him and the entire family on the loss of their mother, Hajia Mariama Bawumia earlier this morning.
May Allah grant her a peaceful rest,” Mr Mamaha shared on his Facebook page.
The Vice President in a statement announcing the death of his mother said, “Hajia Mariama passed away peacefully this morning in Accra. Burial is scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, September 14, 2021, in Walewale.”
Hajia Mariama fondly called Maame was born on September 15, 1939, and died at the age of 81. She died two days away from her 82nd birthday.
Vice President Bawumia in a birthday message to his mother in 2019, described her as caring and supportive.
According to the Vice President, he owed his success to his mother who together with his late father laid a firm foundation for him.
“Happy 80th birthday to my lovely mum, Hajia Mariama Bawumia (alias Maame). I always thank the Almighty God for giving me such a caring and supportive mother. She has always been there for us. The pillar. I am who I am today because of the foundation she and my late father laid for me. I cannot thank her enough. Maame still plays a pivotal role in my life. Her insights are piercing. A mother’s love is truly special. Happy birthday Maame from me and all your children. We love you so much. May Allah grant you a long life and good health,” the Vice President wrote.
Hajia Mariama Bawumia is a native of Kpasenkpe in the West Mamprusi District of the North East Region and was one of the first northern female students to have gained admission to the prestigious Wesley Girls High School in Cape Coast in the Central Region.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Youth Authority (NYA), Pius Enam Hadzide, has described as absurd the posture of former President John Dramani Mahama after he was being reproached by other leaders to retract and apologise for his ‘do or die’ comment.
According to the former Deputy Information Minister, he is finding it difficult to speak ill of former President John Mahama due to his status, but he is left with no choice except to say that his [Mahama’s] ‘do or die’ comment is not decent enough to come from a former President.
Speaking on Okay FM’s ‘Ade Akye Abia’ Morning Show, the NYA boss noted that then Presidential Candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo received baptism of fire from the public over his ‘all die be die’ comment and some lessons have been learned from it almost 10 years ago but the former President has taken the country back with his ‘do or die’ comment.
“Former President Mahama’s children are not even in the country, they are residing abroad attending great schools and having great fun but he said the poor people’s children should kill themselves for him to become President again,” he added.
He seized the moment to remind the youth in the country as a youth leader to stay away from a leader who chants and encourages electoral violence.
“If we have a past President who is telling us to kill ourselves for him to become President again, we should tell him to make his children lead the way, and if you see that his children are ready to lead the ‘do or die’ 2024 elections, then you can choose to support them,” he indicated.
“The most absurdity of former President Mahama’s action is when other leaders began to reproach him for his ‘do or die’ comment, and instead of him to be remorseful and retract and apologise for his unfortunate comment, he is adamant and insisting that he is right and this is a bad precedent. The arrogant and obstinate posture of former President Mahama about the ‘do or die’ comment will not help him and Ghanaians are watching him,” he chided.
• Godfred Dame has expressed his sentiment over the phenomenon of lawyers evading taxes
• He said it is against the code of ethics of the profession to evade tax obligations
• Ken Ofori-Atta earlier revealed close to 6,000 lawyers were evading taxes
The Minister for Justice and Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has expressed his displeasure over the phenomenon of Ghanaian lawyers evading their obligations.
This comes after Finance Minister in an earlier interview granted to Asaase Radio revealed that many professionals including close to 6,000 lawyers in the country were not honouring their tax obligations.null
But Godfred Dame believes this is rather unfortunate as many lawyers tend to live luxurious lifestyles which does not correspond to the revenue they generate.
Addressing fellow members of the bar at the 2021 Bar Conference in the Upper East Region on Monday September 13 2021, Godfred Dame pointed that tax evasion by lawyers was a criminal act and contrary to the rules and ethics of the profession.
“It is sad to say that many lawyers are caught in the phenomenon of tax evasion, as they unjustifiably avoid being caught in the tax net, either by understating their profits or concealing their true incomes. The luxurious lifestyles of certain lawyers, riding in the plushest of vehicles and acquiring top-end properties, are hardly commensurate with the amount of taxes they pay,” Godfred Dame said.
“I entreat lawyers to honour the fullest of their tax obligations, as not to do is not only criminal but also bothers on a gross violation of professional rules. The legal professional conduct and ethical rules requires lawyers to demonstrate the highest level of ethical behaviour and integrity at all times,” the Attorney General added.
Sammy Gyamfi, the National Communications Officer of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has hit back at critics who have spoken against ex-president John Mahama’s “Do or Die” comment.
This follows calls for former President John Dramani Mahama to apologize for making such a remark.
Sammy Gyamfi who was speaking in a one-on-one interview on UTV said there’s no need for the former President to apologize because “he said nothing wrong“.
“Mahama’s do or die is a call to vigilance . . . he’s done nothing wrong and we will not withdraw. We are now going to move the do or die campaign to another level, compose songs with it and even print cloth. Those who have a problem with this either don’t know the character of Mahama as a peaceful person or don’t understand the meaning of do or die . . . we don’t care . . . we are determined to work within the remit of the law,” he indicated.
Meanwhile, Sammy Gyamfi has urged party communicators not to talk about the “do or die” comment again and rather “concentrate on the bread and butter issues“.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has called members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to be vigilant at polling stations and collation centres in the next general election.
That, he said, was the only way to ensure victory for the NDC.
Tour ends
He made the call at a stakeholder meeting at Juaboso in the Western North Region at the end of his ‘thank you’ tour to that part of the country.
Former President Mahama has been on a thank you tour of the middle belt; namely, Bono East, Bono, Ahafo and Western North regions.
Mr Mahama commended residents of the region for their unflinching support for the NDC and said the party would win any election that was free and fair.
He asked the rank and file of the party at the Akontombra Constituency to remain united to win back that parliamentary seat in the next election.
“Let’s ensure the figures from the various polling stations are a true reflection of the results that will be declared. I have decided to be a polling agent in future elections,” he added.
No intimidation
For her part, the 2020 NDC Running Mate to the presidential candidate, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, urged supporters at the grassroots to ensure that the party won all parliamentary seats in the region.
She lauded the leadership of the party for recognising the role of women in society and accepting her as the running mate to Mr Mahama in the past election.
The General Secretary, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, called on the people to bring the NDC back to power to fight corruption.
The founder and leader of Glorious Word Power Ministry, Rev Isaac Owusu Bempah, has been denied bail by the Accra Circuit Court 4.
Rev. Owusu Bempah was put before court today, Monday, September 13, 2021, following his arrested together with three of his junior pastors.
The controversial man of God who pleaded not guilty to charges proffered against him has been asked to be kept in police custody for a week.
Reports from the court premises indicate that some church members of Rev Owusu Bempah who trooped to the circuit court this morning attacked journalists and prevented them from capturing the arrival of their pastor in court.
Rev Isaac Owusu Bempah, founder and leader of Glorious Word Power Ministries International, prior to appearing in court had been in the custody of the Ghana Police Service, for creating “multiple videos containing threats, the brandishing of a weapon and the assault of some police personnel.”
According to a widely circulated circular by the Ghana Police Service, Rev Owusu Bempah was arrested together with three other suspects namely; Michael Boateng, Frederick Ohene and Nathaniel Agyekum, on Sunday, September 13, 2021, at his church premises.
The police indicated that, two other suspects are currently on the run and they [police] are pursuing them.
The police explained that, Rev Owusu Bempah and the three others were “being detained for further investigations over the creation and circulation of multiple videos containing threats, the brandishing of a weapon and the assault of some police personnel.
“After critically analyzing the said videos and based on intelligence gather, the police embarked on an operation on Sunday, September 12, 2021, at the premises of the church to arrest the suspects.”
The police statement further said, “during the operation, some members of the church believed to have been under the direction of Rev Owusu Bempah assaulted some police officers. The injured personnel have received medical treatment and are responding to treatment.”
“The suspects are currently in the custody [of the police] and will appear before the court on Monday, September 13, 2021,” the statement added.
Rev Isaac Owusu Bempah, together with some of his junior pastors stormed the residence of converted priestess, Nana Agradaa on Thursday, September 9, 2021.null
The man of God and his boys claimed Nana Agradaa had threatened to pounce on Rev Owusu Bempah wherever she meets him.
So, the man of God decided not to wait for Nana Agradaa to pounce on him, but will visit the priestess in her house in order for her to carry out her threat.
Prior to their visit, the junior pastor in a live video on Facebook, threatened to show Nana Agradaa ‘pepper’ for disrespecting their father Owusu Bempah.
While carrying out the threat, the two pastors brandished some weapons in the process.null
The police then cautioned the public “against any acts that will disturb the peace of the country.”
“We wish to give the assurance that impartial investigations shall continue in this matter and the public will be duly updated,” the police concluded in a statement signed by Kwesi Ofori, Assistant Commissioner of Police and Ag. Director-General, Public Affairs.
The Government is taking steps to acquire four patrol boats that will be deployed in the four coastal regions, Information Minister, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah has said.
He said these boats will aid in frequent inspection at sea.
He also said the government is also acquiring a research vessel for the regular conduction of scientific fisheries research.
Mr Oppong-Nkrumah said these when the Minister of Fisheries and Aqua Culture Development Mavis Hawa Koomson addressed the press in Accra on Sunday, September 12.
These among several others are the steps being taken by Madam Hawa Koomson to ensure that Ghana’s fishery ecosystem is kept alive and productive.
“Government is also taking steps to acquire four patrol boats that will be deployed in the 4 coastal regions to aid in frequent inspection at sea as well as a research vessel for regular conduction of scientific fisheries research,” the Ofoase Ayiebi Lawmaker said.
He stressed “These among several others are the steps being taken by the Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture and Development, Hon. @mhawakoomson to ensure that our fishery ecosystem is kept alive and productive.”
So far, the initiative covers thirteen Regions namely; Ahafo, Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Oti, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western and Western North with more regions to be onboarded soon. #MinistersPressBriefingpic.twitter.com/5tlXWJmfFW— Kojo Oppong Nkrumah (@konkrumah) September 12, 2021
Government is also taking steps to acquire four patrol boats that will be deployed in the 4 coastal regions to aid in frequent inspection at sea as well as a research vessel for regular conduction of scientific fisheries research. #MinistersPressBriefingpic.twitter.com/mhhSbQYKIA— Kojo Oppong Nkrumah (@konkrumah) September 12, 2021
Government, through the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, supported over 75,000 people along with the coastal communities with food items during the closed fishing season.
The intervention was to reduce the effects of the closed season on the livelihoods of fisherfolks and promote compliance.
Mrs Mavis Hawa Koomson, the Sector Minister, who announced this during the Minister’s briefing in Accra on Sunday, said 15,000 bags of rice and 6,250 cartons of cooking oil were distributed to over 75,000 people along with the coastal communities.
The Ministry also distributed approved fishing nets to some fishermen in the Volta and Central regions.
The closed season occurred from July 1 to August 312021 which covered Artisanal and Inshore fleets and Industrial fleets to ensure the fishes rejuvenated and grew into maturity.
Mrs Koomson also announced that the government was acquiring four patrol boats to help the security agencies guard the marine life and ward off fisherfolks who over exploited the country’s sea waters.null
The four patrol boats would be deployed in each of the four coastal regions namely; Central, Greater Accra, Volta and Western regions.
This would facilitate frequent inspection at sea, offshore and for prompt response to detecting infringements at the VMS centres, the Minister stated.
She also explained that the acquisition of the boats would also accelerate the fight against piracy on the West African coast.
The Minister said a research vessel would be procured soon to aid a scientific analysis of marine life.
“Research vessels are important means through which the condition and change in marine ecosystems and marine fish stock can be assessed to define allowable catch quantities,” she added.null
She believed the procurement of a research vessel would help bridge the current gap within the “fisheries sector’s ability to obtain marine data to support effective management of marine.
On washing of dead fishes ashore in April this year, Mrs Koomson said the Water Assessment Examination conducted by the Fisheries Commission revealed that the fishes in Osu died because of low oxygen concentration in their tissues.
That condition in the seawater caused stress to the fishes leading to their death.
Additionally, the dolphins that were washed ashore in Accra, and Brewire-Akyenim in the Nzema East of the Western Region died because of drastic temperature change and sonar disturbance leading to trauma, dehydration and suffocation under the collapse of their weight.
She said those factors were natural and could therefore not be prevented
The Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has been appointed to be a member of the Advisory Board of the Capacity Building Center (CBC) of the School of Education and Information Studies at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).××
With this appointment, which is for a five-year term, Dr. Adutwum joins other team members from academia, practitioners, and policymakers who are committed to advancing local solutions to local problems.
This was contained in a letter of appointment dated Thursday, September 9, and signed by Professor Walter R. Allen. Ph.D., Director of Capacity Building Center, University of California Los Angeles.
Dr. Adutwum, who is also a Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe Constituency, is to collaborate to develop organizational capacity to enhance the common good by enabling institutions and individuals to participate in their communities and societies fully.
“Given your leadership in education in the US and Ghana, your deep understanding of the needs of youth, students, and institutions in both communities, your advice, and insight will enhance our program design and approach,” the letter stated.
The Advisory Board focuses on the participatory process as it targets investments to contribute to the development and sustainability of institutions, communities, and nations.
In an acceptance letter to UCLA, Dr. Yaw Adutwum was full of praise to the management and board of the University for the honor done him as he pledged to work diligently to reciprocate his appointment.
He also pledged to collaborate with the team of advisors to do what they could to bring much change and improvement into their areas of operation for the good of the world.
Background
Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum is a career educationist in the areas of research, administration, and policymaking for more than two and half decades.
His huge tonnage of experience in the field of education over the past few years in the US and Ghana has led to many world-class agencies admitting him to be part of its advisory boards.
His appointment in August 2021 to be part of a high-level Advisory Board for Mission 4.7, a new global initiative to put in place the vision articulated by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on Education attest to the trust of the international community and other local agencies have in him.
Again, his elevation from Deputy Minister to Education Minister by the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his 2nd term of office speaks volumes about the knowledge and experience he has in the area of education
The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has assured Ghana’s construction industry that the Akufo-Addo government is on course in its resolve to manage and mitigate the debilitating global effect of Covid-19 on the construction industry and the general economy.××
Addressing members of the construction industry on Friday, September 10, at the maiden edition of Ghana Construction Industry Excellence Awards, Dr. Bawumia, while commending the immense contribution of Ghanaian contractors to the development of the country, also highlighted the devastating impact global factors arising out of the covid-19 pandemic has had on their operations, especially increase in cost of construction materials due to unusual increase in shipping cost from Asia.
“Our Country is endowed with great men and women, technocrats, professionals and nusinessmen in the vonstruction Industry who have worked tirelessly in bringing us this far and we need to celebrate them. And tonight we are here to celebrate our own,” Dr. Bawumia said, in a tribute to members of the construction industry.
“From housing to non-housing, from private to public construction, construction industry output is an integral part of the national output. Excluding the agricultural sector, construction ranks third after transportation and storage and manufacturing in their contribution to national output. The inndusry is important for its direct and indirect impact on our economic progress.”
The Vice President, however, added that despite the remarkable economic management of the general economy by the Akufo-Addo government in its first term, the growth of the construction industry has been severely impacted by the globally-hit Covid-19 pandemic, with global factors affecting prices of building materials such as iron rods and cement locally.
“The growth and vibrancy of the construction industry depends on the growth and vibrancy of the economy as a whole. This is why economic management is key. The economic indicators of our first term in office tells a story of competent economic management. However, the world has suffered a global recession; in fact it is the worst global recession since 1945, as a result of Covid-19, which hit us high in 2020,’ the Vice President indicated.
“Throughout the world, prices of goods have shot up. Shipping cost of container, from China to Europe has increased from around $2000 Dollars in August last year, to $13,000 Dollars now per container – 650% increase. You also have major goods that have gone up as a result of Covid and all of you in the construction industry know that the world prices for cement and for iron rods have really shot up. So when we see same things happening in Ghana, we know why it is happening. It is a global phenomenon as a result of the pandemic.”
Dr. Bawumia assured the contractors that just as government prudently managed the economy prior to Covid-19 devastating it, government is on course to manage the impact of Covid on the economy and local industries, including the construction sector.
“We are trying to manage the impact in Ghana and we are not doing too badly compared to many other countries, and we have to do even better,” Dr. Bawumia assured, adding that the government is undertaking many steps, including a resolve to bring down interest rate.
“We have completed projects with most of your members and we have resolved to consolidate, with prudent macro-fiscal policies that puts us back on track to restore economic stability and growth that will foster a resilient financial ecosystem;
“Ladies and gentlemen, the government intends to cooperate and collaborate fully with the Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry. We have had fruitful interactions with the chamber, and we must continue to interact this engagements to increase the job creation potential of the industry. “
‘The soon to be set up development Bank, is to ensure that there is long term funding and financing for development projects. I fully appreciate that the cost of borrowing has been one of the binding constraints on the industry and we are hopeful that the development bank will provide low cost interest to contractors and any project funding activity. “
Dr. Bawumia also stated that government’s commitment towards strengthening the construction industry is also showed in the number of legislations it has enacted to “sanitize, develop and regulate the Construction Industry to facilitate development.”
Some of the legislations the Vice President mentioned included the Engineering Council Regulations 2020 (L. I. 2410), Real Estate Agency Act, 2020, Review of the Rent Act, 1963, Act 220; Land Act, 2020, Act 1036; Education Regulatory Bodies (ERBA) Act, 2020, Act 1023 for Skills Development, Public Private Partnership Act, 2020, Act 1039
Annoh-Dompreh inspecting one of the pitches under construction
The Majority Chief Whip, also a Member of Parliament for Nsawam/Adoagyiri in the Eastern Region, Frank Annoh-Dompreh through his efforts has announced the construction of three astroturf pitches at different locations as part of the One Constituency, One AstroTurf initiative for his constituents.
These astroturf pitches expected to be completed before the end of this year are being handled by Wembley Sports Construction Limited will house a pitch, wash/changing rooms, spectator stands, panel mesh fencing, and a floodlight.
The Member of Parliament of the area, on Saturday, embarked on a tour to inspect the progress of work on the pitches.
He first visited the Adoagyiri Astroturf pitch which is at 80% completed. These projects are being undertaken by the youth in the area as a source of employment.
Frank Annoh-Dompreh explained that the entire community looks forward to its successful completion.
After the inspection of the Adoagyiri pitch, he said” this is one of three Astroturf pitches dotted around the Constituency, adding that “I’m determined to see to the completion of a 4th one before the year ends”.
The MP also described the facility as a world-class facility not only for soccer but other recreational and religious activities.
The Majority Chief Whip noted that the pitches would serve as a big platform for the youth in the area to showcase their talents and also equip them with the needed skills to compete with the rest of the world
Felix Ansah, 35, allegedly confessed on Accra-based Onua TV on 2 September 2021 that he had killed “several persons for ritual purposes”
The self-confessed taxi driver has been arrested over his alleged “involvement in several murders”, the police have announced.
Felix Ansah, 35, allegedly confessed on Accra-based Onua TV on 2 September 2021.
“Following his admission of the alleged commission of such acts, he was arrested to assist in police investigations,” the police said in a statement on Sunday.
“He will be put before court on Monday 13 September 2021 to be placed on remand for thorough investigations into the allegations to continue,” the statement added.
Construction of phase two of the Tema motorway interchange begins by November 2021 says Ministry of Roads and Highways.
This is as a result of the signing of an agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of Ghana on Friday September 10, 2021.about:blankabout:blank××
Ambassador of Japan to Ghana, Himeno Tsutomu, and a Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, signed agreement.
The minister lauded the Japanese government for its continued support to Ghana in different sectors including energy, agriculture, medical, and infrastructure, more importantly, road infrastructure.
He acknowledged that through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan is not only supporting the Tema Motorway Interchange project, but also the construction of a new bridge across the Volta River on the Eastern Corridor road.
“Upon completion, it is my hope that the projects would ensure safe, efficient road transportation and contribute to the efficient flow of goods and services as envisioned by the government of Ghana led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,” the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration said.
Kwasi Amoako-Atta told the media after the signing of the agreement that the project will begin in earnest since the funds have been made available.
He explained that the agreement entails the financing of the phase two of the Tema motorway interchange project and rehabilitation of national trunk road N8 by the Japanese government.
According to him, “There is a company that executed the first phase. But it is not automatic that they will be elected to do the second phase. But whatever it takes, the contractor will come from Japan. Now that the agreement has been signed, the way is now opened for the project to start, so between now and November, the Tema Motorway project will commence for the second phase.
“The N8 which is the Twifo Praso- Assin Fosu is also in the second phase. The first phase links the Bekwai road and that has already taken off. The contractors are there as we speak and there are lots of work ongoing on there. There is no hindrance at all. Ghana is always proactive, and the President wants to see this action implemented.”
The phase 2 project is a continuation of the phase I project, which helped to improve the section of the road between Assin Praso and Bekwai.
The approximately $60million project is part of government’s international corridor road improvement plan whose objective is to facilitate trade within the West African sub-region.
The construction works involve the transformation of the parallel two-tier interchange into a three-tier interchange by a Japanese construction firm known as Messrs Shimizu Dai-Nippon.
This is expected to hasten turnaround time at the interchange. It is also, generally, expected to improve the capacity, safety, and efficiency of transport and freight on the Tema Motorway roundabout
Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo was full of joy after scoring two goals during their English Premier League match against Newcastle at Old Trafford in Manchester, England.
Ronaldo now has 120 United goals to his name, but scored his first since leaving for Real Madrid 12 years ago to take Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men top of the Premier League table.
United were made to work harder than expected for the three points, but were able to rely on Ronaldo’s predatory instincts to strike twice either side of Javier Manquillo’s well-worked equaliser
Bruno Fernandes then sealed a day where Portuguese stars shone with a stunning long-range effort 10 minutes from time before Jesse Lingard rounded off the scoring in stoppage time.
Cristiano Ronaldo enjoyed a dream return as a Manchester United player with a double as the Red Devils beat Newcastle 4-1 in front of a rocking Old Trafford on Saturday.
United’s fortunes on the field have declined dramatically since Ronaldo’s departure with no Premier League or Champions League success since Alex Ferguson retired as manager in 2013.
His return was enough to generate a feverish atmosphere among 74,000 in attendance not seen at Old Trafford for many years.
The 36-year-old was serenaded with songs in his honour long before kick-off and even received celebrations of the goals he scored in a shooting drill in the warm-up.
Ronaldo’s arrival has added even more firepower to an already loaded selection of attacking options on offer to Solskjaer.
Jadon Sancho and Mason Greenwood flanked Ronaldo in a front three with Fernandes and Paul Pogba supplying the ammunition from midfield.
The crowd who had come for a party were starting to get restless as Newcastle held out relatively comfortably until Ronaldo’s first big moment arrived in first-half stoppage time.
Greenwood had scored in all of United’s first three Premier League games before the international break and provided the spark once more as Freddie Woodman spilled his deflected effort and the ball fell perfectly for Ronaldo to smash home.
Rather than opening the floodgates for a comfortable win, Newcastle emerged for the second-half with a far more potent threat and cut United open to stun the home support 10 minutes into the second-half.
Miguel Almiron, who was only cleared to play on Friday after the Paraguayan football federation withdrew a case for him to be banned for not being released for international duty, burst through midfield and released Allan Saint-Maximin.
The Frenchman then rolled the ball perfectly into the path of Manquillo to slot home his first Newcastle goal in 85 appearances.
United on the other hand now have one of the deadliest finishers in the history of the game and Ronaldo ensured the day would be all about him on 62 minutes.
Despite his advancing years, Ronaldo showed no shortage of pace to burst away from Isaac Hayden to latch onto Luke Shaw’s pass and his powerful strike went straight through Woodman’s grasp.
United still needed the intervention of David de Gea to secure the win as the Spaniard brilliantly turned behind Joelinton’s shot that was destined for the top corner.
Fernandes has been United’s talisman for the majority of the 20 months since he joined from Sporting Lisbon, just as Ronaldo did in 2003.
And the midfielder ensured he was not completely overshadowed by his compatriot with a sensational strike into the top corner from Paul Pogba’s pass.
Pogba was also involved in the fourth as Lingard turned onto his pass and curled into the far corner
Construction of phase two of the Tema motorway interchange begins by November 2021 says Ministry of Roads and Highways.
This is as a result of the signing of an agreement between the Government of Japan and the Government of Ghana on Friday September 10, 2021.××
Ambassador of Japan to Ghana, Himeno Tsutomu, and a Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, signed agreement.
The minister lauded the Japanese government for its continued support to Ghana in different sectors including energy, agriculture, medical, and infrastructure, more importantly, road infrastructure.
He acknowledged that through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan is not only supporting the Tema Motorway Interchange project, but also the construction of a new bridge across the Volta River on the Eastern Corridor road.
“Upon completion, it is my hope that the projects would ensure safe, efficient road transportation and contribute to the efficient flow of goods and services as envisioned by the government of Ghana led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,” the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration said.
Kwasi Amoako-Atta told the media after the signing of the agreement that the project will begin in earnest since the funds have been made available.
He explained that the agreement entails the financing of the phase two of the Tema motorway interchange project and rehabilitation of national trunk road N8 by the Japanese government.
According to him, “There is a company that executed the first phase. But it is not automatic that they will be elected to do the second phase. But whatever it takes, the contractor will come from Japan. Now that the agreement has been signed, the way is now opened for the project to start, so between now and November, the Tema Motorway project will commence for the second phase.
“The N8 which is the Twifo Praso- Assin Fosu is also in the second phase. The first phase links the Bekwai road and that has already taken off. The contractors are there as we speak and there are lots of work ongoing on there. There is no hindrance at all. Ghana is always proactive, and the President wants to see this action implemented.”
The phase 2 project is a continuation of the phase I project, which helped to improve the section of the road between Assin Praso and Bekwai.
The approximately $60million project is part of government’s international corridor road improvement plan whose objective is to facilitate trade within the West African sub-region.
The construction works involve the transformation of the parallel two-tier interchange into a three-tier interchange by a Japanese construction firm known as Messrs Shimizu Dai-Nippon.
This is expected to hasten turnaround time at the interchange. It is also, generally, expected to improve the capacity, safety, and efficiency of transport and freight on the Tema Motorway roundabout
VICE President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has subtly taken a jab at former President John Dramani Mahama over his recent election 2024 “Do or Die” comment while on his Thank You tour in the Bono East Region.
According to the Vice President, ‘’Competition Should not be Do or Die Affair’’.
Dr Mahamudu Bawumia who was speaking at the maiden Ghana Construction Industry Excellence Awards 2021 in Accra on Friday, September 10, humorously encouraged the losers not to consider the awards a do-or-die affair in an apparent reference to Mr Mahama’s controversial comments.
After his usual laugther while addressing the forum said “You know when you go for these competitions or awards, it is not do or die,” he said in jest. “So, we wish you better luck in 2022.”
He added that “But seriously if you go to court to challenge an election result and you have no pink sheets, then your case will die,” he mentioned to abrupt derision in the auditorium.
Mr Mahama’s comments were made on Tuesday, September 7 at the start of the second phase of his Thank You tour in an interview on pro-NDC Akina Radio in Techiman in the Bono East Region.
He stated that 2024 elections will be won or lost at the polling station. “The polling station will be do or die affair. I haven’t said all die be die, it will be do or die at the polling station, in 2024 that is where we will win the election”.
The former President continued that “We will be doing everything to ensure that the election is free and fair. We don’t want to cheat the NPP and we also don’t want them to cheat us. We just want the will of the people to prevail”.
However, the former president’s statement caused uproar with a section of Ghanaians calling on him to retract and apologise.
Justifying the offensive a day after in another radio interview, John Mahama said his threatening comment of “do or die” was just an idiomatic expression.
Speaking on Sunyani-based Moonlite FM on Wednesday, he said he was taken out of context and would not retract his comment.
Mr. Mahama explained that “… They don’t understand do or die. Do or die is an English idiom. In Africa, we have many proverbs and we sometimes don’t say things in the straight format, we use proverbs. In English, we have idiomatic expressions”.
“Those who left school early don’t understand idiomatic expressions. Do or die means a critical assignment you have and so you must do the needful or perish”.
He added: “What I mean is that the NDC should not wait and go back to the Supreme Court, whatever has to be done at the polling stations and collation centres must be done. And so I don’t retract, the next election for NDC is going to be a do or die affair.
“I’m telling all our party executives that you must be at the polling station to make sure that the right thing is done. Don’t abdicate your responsibility at that level and expect that after somebody has stolen the election we’ll go to Supreme Court to see if they would overturn the election for us, they won’t do it,” he said.
A faction within the youth base of the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Ashanti Region, has passed a vote of no confidence in former President John Mahama and called for a new flag bearer for the party ahead of the 2024 general election. The group insists a new face is needed to rally the party’s support base into a “formidable” force for the next election.
The disgruntled youth, in a press statement, also accused Mr Mahama of neglecting the Ashanti Region when he won power in 2012.
“How come only Tamale metropolis had three cabinet ministers yet the biggest region in the country, Ashanti was neglected?” the group asked.
“In fact, at the start of the administration, there was only one minister from Ashanti Region – the Minister of Environment Science and Technology, Professor Oteng Agyei – who was sacked bitterly and mysteriously just some few months into the administration,” the statement signed by the convenor, Mr Kweku Asare Mensah said.
“How come John Mahama appointed five cabinet ministers from Central Region in addition to having the vice-president from same region?”
“How come there were also five cabinet ministers from Eastern Region in addition to the chief of staff?”
“John Mahama, who could neglect theAshanti Regionthis much now pretends to be the ‘lover boy’ just to deceive us and neglect the region again”.
“Our message to him is simple: He shouldn’t count on us because he neglected us when he had the power”.
“NDC needs new leadership direction, a leader who is in to build a more formidable party not one who is only in for his personal good,” the group said.
“John Mahama is scheduled to hit the region on 13 September with his Thank You tour, but the youth of the party is sending a signal that they are fed up with him”, the group added.
Political activist, Kwame Asare Obeng, known widely as A Plus, has wondered how security officers can be incorruptible when they have to bribe their way into becoming officers in the first place.
He deplored past and present governments for not taking steps to address the well-known phenomenon of people have to bribe before they are recruited or enlisted into the security services, describing the country as a “jokers paradise”.
“A country where if you are not on a “protocol, list” you have to pay bribe to become a customs, immigration, military or police officer but told that it is a crime to collect bribe when enlisted. Sometimes you even have to pay to be on the protocol list. Please they are lying. It is not any crime biaaa!! Collect!!” he said in a Facebook post.
“Jokers paradise!! Who in both past and present governments doesn’t know about this? What has been done about it to help the ordinary people who qualify to be enlisted? Without “protocol” the “so help me God” in the national pledge is the only hope in this Nyame Bɛkyerɛ Republic,” he lashed out.
Recruitments into Ghana’s security services are often marred with allegations of corruption and favouritism, with people with powerful political connections referred to as “protocol” having the upper hand.
Security analysts have said that recruitment or enlistment of undeserving persons into the various security services pose a danger to the stability of the country. But the phenomenon has persisted and seems to be gaining acceptance from the public.
• Felix Kwakye Ofosu says Akufo-Addo has done little to improve the living standards of Ghanaians
• He said, Akufo-Addo should be blamed for the retrogression of Ghana’s economy
• President Akufo-Addo had accused former President John Dramani Mahama of abysmal economic performance
Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has defended former President John Dramani Mahama’s description of the Akufo-Addo led administration of doing little to improve the living standards of Ghanaians after winning the 2016 general elections.
According to him, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo should rather be blamed for the retrogression of Ghana’s economy.
The President had earlier described the Mahama led administration as an unmitigated disaster, adding that the former President cannot lecture him [Akufo-Addo] on economic management because, during his tenure, his economic track record from 2013 to 2016 was abysmal.
Speaking on Vov radio during his tour in the Volta Region on Friday, September 10, Akufo-Addo said, “I wonder whether this statement was made tongue in cheek by the former president. When you look at the record that this political leader, who can accuse my government of mismanagement, there are a few facts that when you put on the table to compare his performance and mine, it would tell you whether what I am offering the people is economic mismanagement.”
He argued, “I wonder what words should we describe his [Mahama] stewardship of Ghana. It is an unmitigated disaster, that’s what I would call him.”
President Akufo-Addo further said, former President Mahama “is not on strong ground when he is talking about the economy. His track record, I am reluctant to use these strong words, but in normal parlance, I would say it is abysmal and, therefore, he has no lessons to give me at all in the management of the economy.”
Responding to this in an interview on Citi FM monitored by GhanaWeb, Kwakye Ofosu, who is also an aide to the former President said, Ghana witnessed economic growth coupled with manageable debt levels under President Mahama, adding, President Akufo-Addo has no moral right to boast of better economic management.
“Even when the President’s horrible management of the economy is exposing him, he will not listen. This is a man who doesn’t pay attention to details. The President is always talking about COVID-19 as an excuse to squander money given him. He has a huge debt to cover, and he doesn’t have money to pay his debts. He doesn’t have anything else to run this country.”
Felix Kwakye Ofosu further indicated that, President Akufo-Addo’s handling of the economy is rather the poorest in the country, at least in the last four decades.
“I don’t know where he gets the courage from to say that John Mahama cannot speak about the economy. This catastrophic management he has superintended cannot be the reason why President Mahama cannot speak about the economy. The economy Mr. Mahama left is much better than what we have now. This is the worst economic management we have had in the last 40 years, and it cannot be disputed”, he observed.
According to the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, it does not speak well of a leader who has served the nation before to make such a despicable comment even though everyone is fallible to make mistakes in life.
Speaking on Okay FM’s ‘Ade Akye Abia’ Morning Show, the Suame lawmaker noted that there cannot be any rationalization and justification for what President John Mahama said during his ‘Thank You’ tour as the context in which he said the ‘do or die’ is misleading the NDC followers to think that the party was robbed in the 2020 general elections.
He reiterated that President John Mahama was wrong to say that the NDC accepted defeat in the 2020 general election because of peace; thus, to him, the opposition NDC could not provide any evidence in the Supreme Court when the Court asked the NDC to provide evidence of wrongdoing in the Presidential results.
“Today, you go on a ‘Thank You’ tour to say that the NDC rather won the 2020 election and the EC subverted the will of the people, meanwhile, you could not provide evidence in the court and you turn around to say that in the next 2024 election, it will be a ‘do or die’ affair, we must be bold to tell him that he is wrong and a leader must not speak like that,” he pooh-poohed Mahama.
“If you say that this is a ‘do or die’ issue, it means that if you don’t win, then you must kill yourself for losing the election. This is what it means. There can’t be any rationalization and justification for what he said because he said it in a context and the context was the NDC was robbed in the 2020 election and so the 2024 election will be a do or die,” he noted.
He maintained that former President John Dramani Mahama erred with his submission that the NDC won the election, adding that the former President is rather urging his followers to position themselves for only a win-win situation at the polling stations.
“What he said is not true but rather urging his followers that whether we like it or not, the NDC must win at the polling stations. A leader must not speak like that. As you said, President Akufo-Addo said something similar and Ghanaians were not happy about it and he was criticised by the same NDC members who are now supporting what former President Mahama said,” he noted.
“If what he has said is wrong, we should come out boldly to condemn it so that he does not repeat it . . . you bring unnecessary tension in the country. He must know that election is not about life or death,” he chided.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has cut sod for the second phase of construction works on the main University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) Campus in Ho.
The 68-million-dollar China Aid phase two project will provide fully equipped state-of-the-art administration block, School of Nursing and Midwifery, classrooms, offices, libraries, and laboratories to mitigate the infrastructure challenges of the University, since its establishment in 2012.
President Akufo-Addo, who was on a working visit to the region said the university had persisted and continued to prove its worth with countless achievements and assured of government’s readiness to help it expand.
“Even though it is a young University, already, its receiving lots of laurels and accolades and rankings…therefore, there is the need for the Government to ensure the infrastructure is at the measure of the University,” he said.
President Akufo-Addo said China continued to hold firm her friendship with Ghana, which would continue to grow into progressive partnerships.
“It gives me the opportunity to express once again, the strong appreciation of the Government and the people of Ghana to the Government of the People’s Republic of China. The solidarity the Chinese Government and people continue to exhibit towards us is something that, Mr Ambassador, we appreciate very much indeed,” he said.
“The various things that make up Ghana’s Foreign Policy to China are well known. We are not deviating and we will not deviate from the One China Policy. It continues to be an important cornerstone of the Foreign Policy of our country.”
The President recognised the University’s role in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, saying it was a testing centre for the region and surrounding areas.
Mr Lu Kun, the Chinese Ambassador, said the development would aid the school’s advancement to provide more professionals to sustain the government’s bold health delivery initiative; Agenda 111.
“China and Africa will embark on a long journey of collaborations based on the One China principle,” he said.
Mr Lu said the collaboration had long flourished in education and would be expanded to other areas, adding: “China will always remain Ghana’s ultimate friend and partner
As a partner in the fight against the coronavirus, China would work with Ghana to secure the much-needed vaccines, he said.
Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Education Minister, said the project showed government’s commitment to expanding tertiary education intake to help meet the country’s educational needs.
He said the coronavirus pandemic made it more crucial to prioritise educational demands, and expressed the hope that the project would be timeously delivered.
Chinese Nantong Si Jian Construction Company is executing the project within a 22-month period, and the Government of Ghana will provide road infrastructure and other inputs as part of a counterpart-funding component.
Professor John Owusu Gyapong, the Vice Chancellor of the University, said upon completion, the University would add close to 30,000 square meters of floor space, and the student population would grow from the current 6,000 to 10,000.null
He acknowledged government’s dedication to the development of the prime Health University to make it a centre of excellence.
“It is always humbling to see that you take great interest in the development of UHAS. UHAS is determined to be a star in tertiary education, and your constant interest in us gives us all the zeal and commitment to push this agenda to provide quality health manpower to solve our country’s health needs,” he said to President Akufo-Addo.
“Indeed, it is a necessary and crucial aspect of the overall goal of this University, which will facilitate our mandate as a university dedicated solely to the training of health professionals for national development.”
“Your efforts at expanding infrastructure are, therefore, laudable and highly commendable and a testament to the Government’s commitment to the health sector and the wellbeing of its citizens.”
The Vice Chancellor said the school would require high volume buses and good roads as it developed and appealed to the President to help achieve that.
President Akufo-Addo stopped to inspect work on the Fodome Campus of the University on his way to the sod-cutting ceremony, and told the traditional leaders in Hohoe that the Government was seeking some 160 million dollars to develop it into a “separate independent” institution in the enclave
• Spokesperson of the Chief Imam has explained why he donated to support Christians
• According to him, the move was symbolic
• He stated that it was part of efforts to encourage peace and solidarity
Spokesperson of the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu has brought clarification as to why the Islamic leader made donations to support the Christian community.
According to him, Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu’s actions form part of efforts to foster unity between religions in the country.
His donation of some GHC50,000 amount and a visit by the Chief Imam to the Christ the King Catholic Church during Easter in 2019 he further stated, was a symbolic move in the same direction.
Speaking to Citi FM, he said,
“The Chief Imam wants to emphasise that religious diversity is upheld in Islam. But it doesn’t stop at diversity. It goes further to establish a basis for dialogue and for authentic engagement across religious divides,” he explained.
On the church visit in 2019, he said,
“That same day that the Chief Imam entered the church, that was the day when Christians were bombed in Sri Lanka.”
“Because our people are not used to it here, that is why I described it as revolutionary,” Sheikh Shaibu added.null
Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu’s comments come on the back of some criticism some sections of the public channelled towards the National Chief Imam in August this year.
Sheikh Shaributu made the donation when the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Apostle Prof. Opoku Onyinah and the President of the Ghana Bishops Conference, Archbishop Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle paid a courtesy call on him at his Fadama residence in Accra.
Following this, some members of the Muslim community criticized his actions.
Sheikh Shaibu however believes by the donations, “The Chief Imam has brought honour and dignity beyond what you can imagine to Muslims in this country. The Chief Imam [achieved this] by his way of doing things, especially how he accommodates Christians.”
One person has been confirmed dead while about ten passengers have been seriously injured in a gory accident at Ekumfi Akwakrom in the Ekumfi District of the Central Region.
The accident occurred on the Winneba-Cape Coast Highway Thursday evening around 4:00 pm.
The accident was between a Metro Mass bus with registration number GS 2614-17 which was from Accra heading towards Secondi Takoradi and a Toyota Corolla with registration number GV 22-14 also from Mankessim in the opposite direction.
Investigations conducted by EIB Network’s Central Regional Correspondent Yaw Boagyan revealed that that, the Toyota Corolla in an attempt to overtake another vehicle in a sharp curve collided with the Metro Mass Bus.
Speaking to some of the victim’s in the Metro Bus they said, the metro bus driver saw the Toyota Corolla making a wrongful overtaking and in an attempt to swerve the bus collided with the Toyota corolla causing the driver of the Toyota to die instantly leaving 10 passengers in the metro bus seriously injured including the driver.
Some Eyewitnesses in the community called the Fire Service and the Police from Mankessim who cut the Vehicle into pieces before removing the deceased who was stuck in the car.
The injured people are receiving treatment at the Mankessim Roman Catholic Hospital whiles the deceased have been since deposited at Saltpond mortuary for Preservation and autopsy.
The deceased is yet to be identified.
The Vehicles have also been sent to the Jedu Police Station for investigations.
The National Youth Organizer of the New Patriotic Party, (NPP) Henry Nana Boakye has unleashed his fury on the ”Fix the Country” leader, Barker-Vormaqor and his likes who are enthused over the Military takeover in the People’s Republic of Guinea and also wishing for same to happen in Ghana.
Mr. Barker-Vormaqor, in a Facebook post, complimented the Guinean soldiers for seizing power and detaining the country’s President Alpha Condé who ruled for 10 years, serving from 2010 to 2021, and changed the constitution to run for a third term.
“Neho! I welcome the news of a military coup in Guinea. Still waiting on confirmation of its success. Hopefully a new transition process is put in place quickly. Guinea shall work again”, he said.
Joining a panel discussion on Peace FM’s morning show ”Kokrokoo”, Henry Nana Boakye, popularly called Nana B wasn’t enthralled by Mr. Barker-Vormaqor’s comments.
Narrating how it looked like during the Military rule, Nana B disclosed his father, Edward Osei Boakye, a successful businessman, had his businesses taken away from him by the coup orchestrators; not to talk about the many Ghanaians who suffered other losses during the coup era.
He also reminded the coup proponents of the excruciating pains some Ghanaians went through and the numerous deaths under the coup regime, therefore wondering why any person would wish for the return of coup days in Ghana.
”Today, you’re in Ghana and eat in the morning, afternoon and evening; you have freedom of speech. Nobody disturbs you, today, every person can wake up and freely go about his or her work and you’re wishing for coup d’état in Ghana? It will be upon your head! Have you ever witnessed a coup d’état before? Have you seen people in pain before? Do you know the number of people who have died? You don’t know!
”Then you start a movement called Fix the Country and later on, you’re telling us that we should embrace and celebrate coup d’état in another hoping for it to happen here. God will let it all come upon their own heads!!”, he fumed.
”Do you know how people have suffered because of this (coup d’état)?”, he questioned.
”Sometimes, I’m even amazed that some are even lawyers and making such utterances. Coup is never a panacea for any problems in any country. Never!”
”Because Nana Addo is President, they’re calling for coup. We experienced dumsor for 4 years, did anybody call for coup d’état? Never!”, Nana B exclaimed
The JAK Foundation CEO believes Mahama’s do or die comment just like Akufo-Addo’s all die be die wouldn’t cause any problem.
The Chief Executive Officer of the John Agyekum Kufuor Foundation, Prof. Baffour Agyeman-Duah, says ex-President John Mahama’s ‘Do or die’ comment won’t negatively affect Ghana’s political stability, just as then opposition leader, Nana Akufo-Addo’s ‘All die be die’ remark didn’t cause any problem in the country.
Speaking on Citi TV‘s #PointofView program, Prof. Agyeman-Duah, however, cautioned the leaders of the country to work towards strengthening democratic institutions to ensure Ghana doesn’t find itself in a situation of political instability in the wake of the recent political uprising in Guinea.
“I don’t think what I am saying means that we cannot be affected by that (military coup), we are Africans, that is why I said that it is dangerous to even categorise yourself as different because the same forces that are influencing development in these countries are the same forces that we have here.”
Prof. Agyeman-Duah made the remark on the back of a statement made by former President John Mahama during his ‘Thank-you’ tour in the Bono Region, where he said the opposition National Democratic Congress will treat the 2024 polls as a “do-or-die” affair.
The former President and other leading members of the opposition National Democratic Congress have justified the comment, whereas, the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and other civil society organisations, have condemned it.
“As for former President Mahama’s statement, that shouldn’t worry us. After all, the current President [Akufo-Addo] made a similar statement and that didn’t change anything… So I don’t take it seriously, but on a more serious note, we shouldn’t let down our guards. We have to continue strengthening our institutions,” Prof. Agyeman-Duah said.
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on Friday, 10th September 2021, commissioned the Hohoe Technology Solution Centre, one of five (5) new facilities being established by the Rural Enterprise Programme of the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
The Hohoe Technology Solution Centre, located at Gbi Godenu, and constructed at a cost of GH¢6.07 million, will support Government’s industrialization agenda, particularly the 1-District-1-Factory initiative.
The key functions of the Technology Solution Centre will be the production of spare parts and repair services for district factories and oil and gas industry, the manufacturing of agro-processing equipment, and the provision of training for human resources capacity building
The Hohoe TSC is expected to serve factories, artisans and other customers in the following districts in Volta and Oti, including Hohoe, Afadjato South, Kpando, North Dayi, Jasikan, Kadjebi, Biakoye, and the soon to be inaugurated Guan District.
The Hohoe Technology Solution Centre is one of five Centres spread around the country, with the others located at Kumawu in the Ashanti Region, Savelugu in the Northern Region, Elmina in the Central Region and Dormaa Ahenkro in the Bono Region.
The five new TSCs are an upgraded version of and an addition to the original 26 Rural Technology Facilities (RTF) established by Rural Enterprises Programme across the country, in collaboration with GRATIS and the host district assemblies.
The RTFs were established to serve as magnets for industrial activity and have been equipped to perform as hubs for technology promotion, dissemination and transfer to the informal sector. They also provide skills training to master crafts persons and apprentices.
Their main roles and functions were to increase the productive capacity of rural producers and to promote the commercialization and specialization of agriculture within the framework of national economic growth.
The new TSC model was conceived in 2017 by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, under the general plan to realign the Rural Enterprises Programme to be consistent with Government’s Industrialisation Policy.
The TSCs have enhanced capacities with much bigger workshop buildings and workshop spaces for machining and fabrication, offices, classrooms, showrooms, kitchenette and conference facilities.
They are equipped with modern machinery and tools to provide the technology solution needs of industries within their catchment.
Veteran journalist and leading New Patriotic Party (NPP) guru, Elizabeth Ohene, has tackled former President John Mahama for always being full of insults, saying “he knows how to insult without even trying.”
She said the former President has the penchant to insult at will and even recently without any provocation attacked a whole ethnic grouping and got away with it.
The former President during his ‘Thank You’ tour in the middle part of the country early in the week, rekindled his abrasive style of political communication and made utterances his opponents said smacks of plain insults, which did not help to shape national cohesion.
When his attention was drawn to some of the unfortunate statements, the former President brushed the issues aside and even said those who did not understand him did not complete schooling.
The veteran journalist, who was once a minister of state during the Kufuor regime and currently the Board Chairperson of SSNIT, said Mr. Mahama cannot continue on that path.
She said in an article that, “Mr. Mahama has shown he is a walking, breathing, and laughing insult.”
She wrote that “according to Mr. Mahama, President Akufo-Addo long ago lost the right to complain about insults because he had insulted and regularly insults people. Mr. Mahama cited as evidence to back his claim that while in opposition, Akufo-Addo had called the then President Atta Mills Dr. Dolittle and since becoming President, he calls his opponents Naysayers and Jeremiahs.”
“Being something of an expert on insults, I have been taking a closer look at these insults. President Mills was called Dr. Dolittle. I start with the literal, obvious meaning of the word, Dolittle. So I break up the offending word; a President was being accused of doing little, he was not busy solving Ghana’s problems,” she said, adding “Since President Mills is sadly no longer with us, one has to be careful and not say anything hurtful about him, but I don’t think a description of little activity during his presidency can be taken as an insult.”
Ms. Ohene said “then it occurred to me that maybe Mr. Mahama was taking the literary reference of Dolittle in George Bernard Shaw’s play ‘Pygmalion’ in which we have the characters of Eliza Dolittle and her father Alfred Dolittle,” adding “Granted that this is a play that premiered in London in 1913, there isn’t much in there to get upset about the Dolittle father and daughter characters.”
She continued that, “President Akufo-Addo calls his critics Naysayers and Jeremiahs. According to the dictionary, a Naysayer is a person who criticises, objects to, or opposes something. The dictionary provides a sentence to illustrate the usage of the word: ‘He continues to win despite the many naysayers’.”
Explaining further, she said, “Akufo-Addo calls his critics Jeremiahs. Here are the meanings of Jeremiah in the dictionary: A major Hebrew prophet of the seventh and sixth centuries and I might add the first name of a former president of the country and a popular first name of many boys since then,” adding “another meaning says: A person who is pessimistic about the present and foresees a calamitous future. Every press conference held by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the past three and a half years will qualify to be adjudged as such. I thought this precisely was what Mr. Mahama had been saying. An insult?”
She said that, “Maybe Mr. Mahama is a man of very sensitive disposition and cannot bear what is called the rough and tumble of politics and that is why he regards Dolittle, Naysayer and Jeremiah as insults.”
Akyem Sakawa
She asked, “What about Mr. Mahama’s reaction to the President complaints? Akyem Sakawa. President Akufo-Addo is an Akyem. Elizabeth Ohene is an Ewe. There is no argument,” adding “I go to Google to get this meaning of the word sakawa: a Ghanaian term for illegal practices which combine modern internet-based fraud with African traditionalist rituals. The rituals, which are mostly in the form of sacrifices, are intended to spiritually manipulate victims so that the scammer’s fraud is successful.”
Ms. Ohene asked, “Flag bearer Mahama is happy to cite an ethnic group and bundle them up as people who perform illegal, Internet-based fraud? And these people combine the fraudulent practice with traditional rituals? And this will match Dolittle, boot for boot, to borrow his terminology? Or will Sakawa be on the same wavelength as Jeremiah?”
Previous Attacks
She said “while he was President, Mr. Mahama used to provide the best copy for insults that could be used against him. If someone called Candidate Mahama a dead goat, that would be considered an insult. And if you are looking for an Akyem Sakawa correlation, you should hear Candidate Mahama: ‘when it comes to unleashing violence, no one can beat us to that’.”
She added, “And here was Candidate Mahama in the Volta Region during the voter registration exercise. He said the Volta Region people had been specially targeted for military invasion. Earlier during the 2016 election he had said ‘his northern brothers’ such as Bawumia had no future in the New Patriotic Party (NPP). He knows how to insult without even trying
National Youth Organizer of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Henry Nana Boakye, has pooh-poohed former President John Dramani Mahama for his recent “do or die” comment.
According to him, it is a cause to worry for the former President who has served the country in various capacities with the help of Ghanaians to now turn around out of desperation to say that the 2024 general election will be a “do or die” affair.
“How can such an honourable man, former President, former MP, Vice President, former Deputy Minister in charge of Communication, former Minister; how can such a man with all of these credentials be so desperate? What could possibly be the reason for former President Mahama to say that the 2024 general election will be ‘do or die’?”, he wondered.
Speaking on Okay FM’s ‘Ade Akye Abia’ Morning Show, Nana B as he is popularly called asserted that the ‘Thank you’ tour of former President John Mahama is a decoy to launch his readiness to contest the 2024 Presidential Elections for the NDC.
He again wondered why the former President is feeling jittery about President Akufo-Addo’s yearly tour across the nation to inspect the various developmental projects even though the President will not contest again in the 2024 general elections.
“How can you be so desperate? If it is indeed a thanksgiving tour to thank Ghanaians for the 2020 general elections and is not a scheme for the next election campaign, why will he talk about the 2024 general election?”, he quizzed.
“When he realised that President Akufo-Addo is embarking on his usual tour every year to inspect his projects across the country and the people including the chiefs are happy with his work, former President Mahama then decided to embark on his thanksgiving tour and now look at his message in the thanksgiving tour,” he asserted.
He, however, reminded former President John Mahama to be mindful of his utterances since he is no longer the Flagbearer, but reiterated that his comment indicates that he will be the Presidential Candidate for the NDC in 2024; even though the party [NDC] is yet to restructure after the 2020 general elections defeat and open nomination for interested candidates to contest for the slot.
“I am also saying that the 2024 general elections will not be ‘do or die’. Ghanaians will exercise their rights to vote and choose the leaders they want for the country and nobody will die in this country as we have always been doing in elections,” he challenged.
“The statement from the former President is very reckless and very unfortunate. Nobody should entertain such utterances and all well-meaning Ghanaians should come out to condemn such a comment,” he chided.
Former President John Dramani Mahama on Friday, 10 September 2021, visited the family of the late Thomas Asinae, the immediate past Deputy Regional Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Western North Region, to commiserate with them.
The late Asinae, a dedicated and hardworking officer of the party, died in August following a short sickness.
Speaking on behalf of the family and Nananom of Suaman, the Krontihene, Nana Armah Kofi Tanoh III, thanked Mr. Mahama for wiping their tears with his presence on the occasion of the one-week celebration in Suaman.
“Even though we are mourning, there are some people who no matter how sad you are, as soon as you see them you become happy”, he said.
He decried the state of underdevelopment of the Suaman community, stressing that it did not befit the town’s status as the place Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s family originally hailed from. He therefore asked that when the NDC wins the next elections, it should not forget the people of Suaman.
Mr Mahama described the late Deputy Youth Organiser as someone who served the party well.
He consoled the family for the loss of their loved one and promised that the party would support the family to give the fallen comrade a befitting funeral.
The 2020 NDC presidential candidate is in the Western North Region as part of the second phase of his nationwide tour to thank Ghanaians for their support, and votes for him and the NDC parliamentary candidates.
As part of his activities in the region, Mr. Mahama and his delegation called on the chiefs and elders of Juaboso and Suaman, and addressed party supporters and executives
The Founder and Leader of the Glorious Word Power Ministries International, Reverend Isaac Owusu-Bempah says former President John Mahama’s use of the idiom ‘Do or Die’ to describe his perception of the 2024 general elections, does not connote anything untoward.
While he does not see anything wrong with the view, he thinks it should be taken in its proper context.
Rev. Owusu Bempah who spoke with NEAT FM, used what he described as a cagey football match as the analogy to explain his position on the issue gaining notoriety as the most controversial topic in the passing week.
The former President who was also the Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress in the 2020 elections used the idiom during a radio interview on Techiman-based Akina FM, during his ‘Thank You’ tour of the Bono East Region.
It has since been tossed about, with some of the people condemning it and demanding retraction, while others say it has nothing negative about it.
Rev. Owusu Bempah recalled his colts footballing days, saying in those times when they faced any ‘tough’ game or opposition, they described it as a ‘do or die’ affair which demanded that they do their best during the game. It never meant that they were to carry arms or implements onto the field of play or to kill anyone. It meant they needed adequate preparations to overcome the foe, he said.
He explained that when former President Mahama uses the idiom, what he means to say is that he needs to do his homework well to face the 2024 elections.
In the same vein, he said President Akufo-Addo can look to the 2024 elections as a do or die affair and that, in no way, should mean that someone should take up a machete to slaughter another.
Owusu Bempah said what he speaks is the bare truth and in instances when the idiom has been used, it has meant the user does not intend to joke with a situation as he may previously have joked with it, be it in a football match, an election or in an examination.
He said John Mahama did not say someone should pull a gun, or kill someone, or that the 2024 election would be bloody, but if he had said any of these, then it would be wrong.
Owusu Bempah counseled against taking statements at face value only, but said it pays to examine the motivation and real intent of the speaker because it could be he wants to pray fervently, prepare adequately, or put things right ahead of the elections.
The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), has taken a swipe at the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its 2020 presidential candidate John Dramani Mahama.
The party’s General Secretary John Boadu, who slammed the NDC, advised them to invest in polling agents who can calculate the results in an election instead of ‘machomen.’
Using the 2020 election petition to argue his case, he claimed the NDC went to the Supreme court without any evidence to back their case.
In his view, it would be painful for people to wake up at dawn and go out and vote for a party that lacks what it takes to collate its own results.null
He said, “unlike the NDC, the NPP is a party that when you vote for, in six hours, we can collate our own results and know what we got. But if you vote for the NDC na d a simple architecture they can not invest in at the polling stations, then they don’t deserve your vote.
I would advise the NDC to invest in a simple Makola Calculator’ instead of investing in machomen and people who cannot add one plus one,” he said.
“The NPP is a competent party. It is the only party when you vote for you are assured of accountability and will have no regrets. Mahama must exercise patience and invest in the technology to collate his results. He should stop investing in machomen if he wants to win,” he concluded.
Charles Owusu has condemned the ‘do or die’ affair comment by Ex-President John Dramani Mahama on Akina Radio in the Bono-East Region during his ‘Thank You’ tour.
Speaking to an obviously shocked Presenter, the former President said; ”We learn from the past so we [NDC] have learned our lessons from the 2020 election. The next elections will be won or lost at the polling station”.
“If otherwise, it will be a do or die affair at the polling station. The right thing must be done. We will win our election at the polling station.”
“We will do everything to make sure the election is transparent and fair. We don’t want to cheat them, so they shouldn’t. We won’t wait for any Supreme Court, no!”
Responding to John Mahama’s comments during a panel discussion on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’ programme, the former Head of Monitoring Unit at the Forestry Commission, Charles Owusu asked him to desist from making utterances that could potentially foment mayhem.
“I don’t think anybody should entertain these statements and come to explain to us what he (Mahama) said. It’s plain language. Nobody will go into the 2024 elections to die for any person to become President in this country,” he cautioned.
He further schooled Mr. Mahama on the importance of life over death saying, “what we can’t use money to buy, we can’t use power or money to protect it. That’s life; nothing on earth is important than it. Your legacy in the world is your life. Power doesn’t guarantee your life”.
“With all due respect, Mr. President, what you said was inappropriate,” he stressed.
Former President John Mahama, speaking on Akina Radio at Techiman, stated that the 2024 elections will be a “do or die” affair.
“We learn from the past so we [NDC] have learned our lessons from the 2020 election. The next elections will be won or lost at the polling station…If otherwise, it will be a do or die affair at the polling station. We won’t wait for any Supreme Court, no!” he said.
This comment has been strongly criticized with some political pundits asking the former President to apologize.
Reacting to this in an interview on Neat FM’s Ghana Montie programme, Abronye DC said: “if that is the case, the first person to die will be Farida Mahama because her father is power-drunk and so he will be happy to see everyone dead just for him to be President…
“…I want to tell them that we’re really prepared for election 2024; if they want fire they will have it and if they want peace there will be peace. If he wants fire, he will be the first person including his daughter, Farida; she will be a polling agent so when the fire starts, she can’t escape”
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo has said his government will stay on the path of truthfulness and good works to deliver a developed and prosperous nation.null
He said he was hopeful Ghanaians would imbibe truthfulness and good works to develop the country.
President Akufo Addo was addressing chiefs of the Oti Region at Dambai during a tour of the Volta and Oti Regions.
“What we need is unity within the country to support the government realise all its plans for development.
“I am of much hope that if Ghanaians endeavour to work with the truth and good works, there would be nothing we cannot do. Others have done it and we can also do it. What we need is unity, good policies and truthfulness,” the President stated.
He said politics and governance based on lies worked against the progress of the nation. “Political leaders who peddle falsehoods are not helping the nation. It doesn’t help to be constructing a campaign of lies. Every time they open their mouths they are contradicted. But that has been the choice of others. Each has his own path and I have chosen the path of truth,” the President said.
Mr. Dan Botwe, Minister of Local Governance, Decentralisation, and Rural Development, said the President remained more committed towards national development.
He thus said the President was keen on speedily developing the newly created Regions, which were initiated to deepen decentralisation and rapid growth.
President Akufo-Addo inspected ongoing construction of administrative offices for the new region, spread across districts in the various districts, as well as major road construction works.
He commissioned a yam and cassava processing factory under the One District One Factory initiative for the Region at Adonkwanta, and also toured an integrated waste treatment plant, which was about 80 per cent complete
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has described as “distasteful” comments recently made by former president John Dramani Mahama to the effect that the 2024 elections will be a do or die affair.
General Secretary of the NPP John Boadu said the “perpetual” flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is only desperate to return to power.
Mr Boadu was addressing journalists in Accra on Friday, September 10 over the controversial comments.
“It is a distasteful comment that does not belong in our fast-maturing electoral democracy,” he emphasised.
After the controversy generated by the comments, which many ascribe violence to, Mr Mahama justified his utterance and said it was only a mere idiomatic expression.
For that matter, he shrugged off calls for him to retract the statements.null
“In English, we have idiomatic expressions. Those who dropped out of school do not understand idiomatic expressions,” he told Sunyani-based Moonlite FM on Wednesday, September 8.
“‘Do or die’ means a critical assignment you have and you must do the needful or perish. And so you must do the needful,” he stated in English, changing tongue to Twi by saying: “I meant NDC must not wait to go to the Supreme Court again. What we must do at the polling station and collation center must be done!”
But the NPP said: “We know that John Mahama stubbornly refuses to retract. Rather he is seeking refuge in semantics and grammar. He is struggling to explain the impossibility.
“However, we are not surprised. Being in opposition and desperate to come back to power, John Mahama must be panicking at the pace at which the Akufo-Addo government is moving.”
• John Mahama has taken his Thank You tour to the Ahafo regionnull
• He is confident the NDC will win the 2024 presidential elections
• The former president is disappointed projects from his time have been abandoned
John Dramani Mahama has assured his supporters of an incontestable victory in 2024.
The former president also called on his supporters to lay aside all their reservations from the previous elections of 2020 and forge ahead for the victory that is to come, reports myjoyonline.com.
“When two sheep knock their heads in a fight, each goes back, prepare and comes back with a bang. I want to assure you that, this is the stage the NDC is in now. In 2024, we are coming back with a well-prepared force for a victory that no one can argue about
“We are just like the sheep which has gone back and coming back with a victorious bang,” he is quoted to have said during a meeting with the Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs.
John Mahama is on his Thank You Tour in the region, where he has been trumpeting the message that his party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) did not lose the elections of 2020.
“We went into a contest in the year 2020. The result has been clear to each and every one of us. We went into an election we know we didn’t lose, what happened at the various collation centres and in court is now behind us,” he said.
John Dramani Mahama also explained that the National Executives of the NDC will embark on a process of rebuilding the party for the “battle” ahead, starting with outreach visits to each of the regions of the country.
“Under normal circumstances, I should have come with just two words; “Thank You” and return. However, we must take stalk of the various contributions you gave us for you to know we really appreciate it.null
“We all come out to vote looking forward to a better life. But look at the economic situation today, unemployment amongst the youth, etc. The NDC cannot fold its arms in despair, but will be willing at any time to help in building our nation,” he said.
The former president also shared his disappointment with how projects that were started under his administration, 5 years into this current one, led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, have been left to rot.
“After 5 years, we still have abandoned road projects, school projects, hospitals amongst others. We must speak out on all these issues because it was not my money that was used to construct these projects but our collective taxes. The NDC will surely be back to take this country to a higher height,” he said.
In the 2020 elections, the NPP’s Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was pronounced winner with 51.59 percent (6,730,413 votes) of valid votes cast, as against John Dramani Mahama of the NDC’s 47.36 percent (6,214,889 votes).
The NPP has also since then been on an agenda code-named ‘Break the 8’, intended to ensure that it becomes the first party to win more than two successive elections in Ghana’s history.
The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has described the period in office of his predecessor, John Dramani Mahama, as an unmitigated disaster, describing his economic track record whilst in office, from 2013 to 2016, as abysmal.
President Akufo-Addo made this known on Friday, 10th September 2021, in response to question posed by the host, in which she referenced a statement made by former President John Mahama in which he accused the current Government of economic mismanagement
Responding to the statement, the President stated that “I wonder whether this statement was made tongue in cheek by the former president. When you look at the record that this political leader, who can accuse my government of mismanagement, there are a few facts that when you put on the table to compare his performance and mine, it would tell you that if what I am offering people is economic mismanagement.”
He continued, “I wonder what words should we describe his (Mahama) stewardship of Ghana. It is an unmitigated disaster, that’s what I would call him.”
According to President Akufo-Addo, under the tenure of office of John Mahama, economic growth rate in 2016 stood at 3.4%, the lowest in two decades; with all other macroeconomic indicators pointing in the wrong direction.
“Inflation, when he left office, was 15.4%; today, at the end of July, which are the last hard facts from the Statistical Service, it’s 9%. Interest rates are always a good determinant of how the economy is operating, 32% in December 2016, today, it is 20.6%. We are talking about treasury bill decline in interest rate, we are talking about the trade deficit that was $1.8 billion in 2016, to a trade surplus of $2.6 billion at the end of 2019,” the President said.
He stressed that if these statistics, which, prior to COVID-19, led to Ghana being one of the fastest growing economies in the world with a GDP of 7%, “can be considered economic mismanagement”, he then wondered what would be the description of the economy managed by John Mahama, which took Ghana into the embrace of the IMF.
Responding again to comments made by John Mahama, asking Government to organise an economic forum, President Akufo-Addo stated that “if the economic forum is going to be a repetition of the so-called Senchi Consensus, then I think I have to spare the people of Ghana this sort of development.”
He continued, “The Senchi Consensus was an unmitigated disaster, out of it we went into the embrace of the IMF with all the difficulties that came from there and the disarray it pointed to in the economy of our country.”
The President, thus, urged former President Mahama to be wary of commenting on matters to do with economic management.
“He is not on strong ground when he is talking about the economy. His track record, I am reluctant to use these strong words, but in normal parlance, I would say it abysmal and, therefore, he has no lessons to give me at all in the management of the economy,” President Akufo-Addo added.
Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has described as “desperate scaremongering” the claims by former President John Mahama that Ghana faces imminent food shortage.
In an interview with Moonlite FM on September 8, the 2020 flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) claimed that the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) was started by his government but has failed under the current administration.
However, a statement issued by the Press Secretariat of the Agric Minister on Thursday said Mr Mahama may be haunted by the long-held ‘incompetent’ title.
“We are not surprised about this claim coming from the former Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as they have also harboured the intentions to predict doom for the country,” the statement said.
“Ghanaians would recall that in 2017, the same party, represented by its Minority in Parliament, predicted that Ghana was going to face famine, akin to that of 1983, because of an outbreak of Fall Armyworm. But thanks to the vision and efficiency of the President Nana Akufo Addo-led administration, Ghana overcame the outbreak and recorded one of the highest productivity in the agricultural sector.
“We wish to assure the general public that the country will in fact experience a bumper harvest, despite the recent droughts experienced in the early part of the year as well as the challenges in supply of subsidized fertilizers.
“Ghanaians must rest assured that the country will not face food shortage neither will it experience famine as being claimed by the Former President Mahama.”
Find below the full statement:
IGNORE FORMER PRESIDENT MAHAMA, HE IS A SCAREMONGER!! Ghana is not facing food shortage, PFJ is very much on course!!
Our attention has been drawn to a rather unfortunate comments by the Former President, Mr. John Dramani Mahama, about the status of the country’s agriculture and food security, during his so called Thank You tour across the country.
The Former President, in an attempt to shift public discussion from his rather reckless and infamous ‘Do or Die’ comment which has attracted public backlash, has decided to attack one of Government’s most successful flagship policies Planting for Food and Jobs.
In fact, apart from becoming desperately notorious for making reckless comments in recent times, the Former President is now also engaging in scare-mongering, thriving on lies and falsehoods just to put fear in Ghanaians.
In a meeting In the Bono Region, Former President Mahama is on recorded to have made several false claims about the PFJ programme which was introduced by the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led administration in 2017.
We wish to set the records straight as follows;
INTRODUCTION OF THE PLANTING FOR FOOD AND JOBS PROGRAMME
The Former President claimed in his speech that the Planting for Food and Jobs programme was an initiative of the previous NDC administration and that his regime secured funding from the Canadian Government for its implementation.
This is completely false. The fact is that the Planting for Food and Jobs is a wholly Government of Ghana (GoG) funded programme.
Mr. Mahama has in fact, confused the Modernising Agriculture Ghana(MAG) programme, which involves a $100M Canadian Grant, exclusively meant for the expansion of extension services programme with that of the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative which involves five major areas the Food Crop Model, Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD), Rearing for Food and Jobs (RFJ), Greenhouse Villages (for Vegetable production and Export) and Mechanization for Food and Jobs.
However, it is instructive to note that since 2017, Government of Ghana has spent over $400M Dollars on the PFJ, expenditure of which had gone into subsidies of improved seeds and fertilizers for farmers.
It must also be stated that the previous administration of the NDC led by Mr. John Dramani Mahama, left the agriculture sector in a state of moribund and comatose.
The extension sector, which is supposed to be the fulcrum around which growth of agriculture revolves, had totally collapsed when the NPP assumed power.
Under the watch of Incompetent Mr. Mahama, the extension sector did not see any staff enforcement for four years.
Though the country required about 4000 extension officers to support the over 3.5M farmers, the NPP in 2016, inherited less than 1400 staff capacity. The worst part of this situation was that, 80% of the staff had reached their retirement age and were on their way out.
To ensure the efficient use of the available resources, President Akufo Addo, under the PFJ programme, immediately granted clearance for the recruitment of over 2700 new extension officers to support the implementation of the programme.
Ghana was importing virtually every food item; including thousands of tons of maize, plantain, banana etc from neighbouring countries. Available data in 2016 indicates that Ghana imported about 113,855 and 79,771 metric tons of maize respectively in 2015 and 2016, and same could be said of other major staple foods such as yam, plantain and soyabean.
The food situation of this country was so bad that farmers could not afford fertilizer for their crops, leading low yields.
Planting for Food and Jobs therefore came to reverse this trend and by the end of 2017 and mid-2018, Ghana became the hub of food supply in the West African sub-region. In fact in 2017, a total of 81,193 tons of food items incudling Maize, Yam, Rice, Plantain and Soyabean were eported to neighbouring countries. This trend has continued up to now.
The NDC administration under President Mahama had also collapsed the vegetable export business after Ghana was banned from exporting vegetables to the European Markets due to poor standard and supervision. This meant that local farmers and exporters no longer benefitted from the $32 million dollar vegetable market for six consecutive years.
The NPP Government, through Ministry of Food and Agriculture, adopted prudent measures which led to the eventual lifting of the ban in 2018. Today, farmers and exporters are back to business and are making huge profits from exportation of vegetables to the EU Markets whilst at the same time, improving the country’s export revenue capacity.
GLOBAL RECOGNITION
Ghana has since 2017 gained international recognition for its success in revamping the agricultural sector. Global organizattions such as World Bank, Alliance For Green Revolution Africa (AGRA), African Development Bank(AfDB), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), amongst others, have all commended Government of Ghana for the implementation of the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative.
In 2019, Ghana placed 3rd in the Global Food Security Index by the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU). In the 2020-21 Report by The Permanent Interstate Committee for drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), Ghana was recognized as the only country in the West African sub-region with stable food security situation, thanks to the successful implementation of the Planting for Food and Jobs programme.
Today, farmers in the country are better off, in terms of their production capacity, purchasing power and economic situation than they were in 2016.
This has been largely due to the implementation of deliberate policies and programmes by the President Nana Akufo Addo-led administration of the NPP.
FOOD SHORTAGE AND HUNGER
Again, it is needless to say that the claims by Former President Mahama that Ghana is likely to face food shortage leading to hunger in the coming year, is only an act of scare-mongering.
Perhaps, he is being haunted by his long held incompetent title which has led to his obsession for failure.
We are not surprised about this claim coming from the former Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as they have also harboured the intentions to predict doom for the country.
Ghanaians would recall that in 2017, the same party, represented by its Minority in Parliament, predicted that Ghana was going to face famine, akin to that of 1983, because of an outbreak of Fall Armyworm. But thanks to the vision and efficiency of the President Nana Akufo Addo-led administration, Ghana overcame the outbreak and recorded one of the highest productivity in the agricultural sector.
We wish to assure the general public that the country will in fact experience a bumper harvest, despite the recent droughts experienced in the early part of the year as well as the challenges in supply of subsidized fertilizers.
Ghanaians must rest assured that the country will not face food shortage neither will it experience famine as being claimed by the Former President Mahama.
SUPPLY OF FERTILIZER
Former President Mahama again continues to live in the world of fantasy and refused to appreciate the realities of the challenges that COVID-19 has imposed on the global economy, including production and trading of fertilizer produce.
Global prices of fertilizers have witnessed astronomical increases due to production shut down, culminating in the inability of major suppliers to trade in the product.
As we are all aware before the advent of COVID-19, supply of inputs under the PFJ programme never experienced any challenges. However, COVID-19 posed serious challenges on government’s revenue generation capacity, leading to the effects on general subsidy of fertilizers under the programme.
It is however important to make clear distinction that fertilizers between government subsidized and open market fertilizers.
Despite the fall in local revenue mobilization which forced government to reduce the subsidy capacity, general supply of fertilizer on the market has not been disrupted and many more farmers have had easy access to them.
Again, we believe that one of the major objectives of the PFJ programme, which was to introduce farmers to the adoption of fertilizers and improved seeds, has been significantly achieved. Today, many more farmers are aware of the need to adopt the use of fertilizers and improved seeds in order to increase production.
We therefore wish to reiterate the fact that the country is very safe from any threats of food shortage and that the Former President is only engaging in a desperate scaremongering just for political expediency.
ISSUED BY PRESS SECRETARIAT MINISTER FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
Former President John Dramani Mahama is laying claim to the much-talked-about Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) programme which the Akufo-Addo-led New Patriotic Party (NPP) initiated in 2017 as part of measures to ensure food security in the country.××
He said he started the programme and his opponents, the NPP, came in and changed the name to PFJ and are taking credit for it.
Similar to the claims he made on the free SHS last year when the 2020 general election was approaching, Mr. Mahama said it was the NDC’s programme which they started with funding from the government of Canada for the agriculture sector.
His sensational PFJ claim is coming in the wake of his ‘Do or Die’ threat ahead of the 2024 election, which many have condemned, but he had justified and decided not to offer any apology for it.
Speaking in Dormaa in the Bono Region on Wednesday during his ‘Thank You’ tour, Mr. Mahama said specifically that “before this government came in, we had an arrangement with Canada. They were giving us funding for agriculture because they had realised that it was the sector creating more jobs.”
When they came into office, they named it PFJ. It was originally a programme that we were working on. They just came and continued it.”
More Attacks
He then said the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative has failed and that there is going to be food shortage in the country next year.
“Planting for Food and Jobs has failed. There will be famine in Ghana next year. The Canadian funding has been exhausted and we need to find alternative funding to sustain the programme but there is no money at the Ministry of Finance.”
He said that “prices for food crops are going up astronomically,” adding “one of my siblings is a farmer. He is telling me this year there is no fertiliser. He had to buy his own fertiliser and a bag of fertiliser is expensive now. He normally cultivates 300 acres of maize but this year he had to reduce it to 80 acres. It shows that there is going to be hunger because the PFJ has failed.”
Agric Ministry
The Minister of Food and Agriculture’s Press Secretariat reacted to the former President’s claims, saying “Ghana is not facing food shortage. Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) is very much on course.”
“Our attention has been drawn to rather unfortunate comments by the former President, Mr. John Dramani Mahama, on his ongoing campaign tour across the country. The former President, in an attempt to shift public discussion from his rather reckless and infamous ‘Do or Die’ comment which has attracted public backlash, has decided to attack one of government’s most successful flagship policies Planting for Food and Jobs.
“In fact, apart from becoming desperately notorious for making reckless comments in recent times, the former President is now also engaging in scare-mongering, thriving on lies and falsehoods just to put fear in Ghanaians,” the statement said, adding “in a meeting in the Bono Region, former President Mahama is on record to have made several false claims about the PFJ programme which was introduced by the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led administration in 2017.”
Setting Records
“The former President claimed in his speech that the Planting for Food and Jobs programme was an initiative of the previous NDC administration and that his regime secured funding from the Canadian Government for its implementation. This is completely false. The fact is that the Planting for Food and Jobs is a wholly Government of Ghana (GoG) funded programme.
“Mr. Mahama has in fact, confused the Modernising Agriculture Ghana (MAG) programme, which involves a $100M Canadian Grant, exclusively meant for the expansion of extension services programme with that of the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative which involves five major areas the Food Crop Model, Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD), Rearing for Food and Jobs (RFJ), Greenhouse Villages (for Vegetable production and Export) and Mechanisation for Food and Jobs,” the statement said.
The statement said that “this grant from the Canadian Government under the MAG programme, was supposed to be released in four tranches, over a four-year period. This translated into 25million Canadian Dollars every year,” adding “however, it is instructive to note that since 2017, Government of Ghana has spent over $400m Dollars on the PFJ, expenditure of which had gone into subsidies of improved seeds and fertilisers for farmers.”
Expenditure Plan
The ministry said that the advisors of former President Mahama failed to explain to him the real story behind this Canadian Grant which it said “had strict expenditure plan,” adding that “the funds could not be spent on any other programme apart from extension support.”
Poor Record
“It must also be stated that the previous administration of the NDC led by Mr. John Dramani Mahama, left the agriculture sector in a state of moribund and comatose,” the statement said, adding “Ghana was importing virtually every food item; including thousands of tonnes of maize, plantain, banana etc. from neighbouring countries.”
“Available data in 2016 indicates that Ghana imported about 113,855 and 79,771 metric tonnes of maize respectively in 2015 and 2016, and same could be said of other major staple foods such as yam, plantain and soyabean. The food situation of this country was so bad that farmers could not afford fertiliser for their crops, leading to low yields.”
It said, “Planting for Food and Jobs therefore, came to reverse this trend and by the end of 2017 and mid-2018, Ghana became the hub of food supply in the West African sub-region. In fact in 2017, a total of 81,193 tonnes of food items including maize, yam, rice, plantain and soyabean were exported to neighbouring countries. This trend has continued up to now.”
More Recognition
The statement said that “Ghana has since 2017 gained international recognition for its success in revamping the agricultural sector. Global organisations such as World Bank, Alliance For Green Revolution Africa (AGRA), African Development Bank (AfDB), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), amongst others, have all commended Government of Ghana for the implementation of the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative.
“In 2019, Ghana placed 3rd in the Global Food Security Index by the Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU). In the 2020-21 Report by The Permanent Interstate Committee for drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), Ghana was recognised as the only country in the West African sub-region with stable food security situation, thanks to the successful implementation of the Planting for Food and Jobs programme.”
It said “today, farmers in the country are better off, in terms of their production capacity, purchasing power and economic situation, than they were in 2016. This has been largely due to the implementation of deliberate policies and programmes by the President Nana Akufo-Addo-led administration of the NPP.”
Scare-Mongering
The statement said it is needless for the former President to say that Ghana is likely to face food shortage leading to hunger in the coming year, saying “it is only an act of scare-mongering,” adding that “perhaps, he is being haunted by his long held incompetent title which has led to his obsession for failure.”
The statement said that before the arrival of COVID-19, supply of inputs including fertilisers under the PFJ programme never experienced any challenges but the pandemic posed serious challenges on government’s revenue generation capacity, leading to the effects on general subsidy of fertilisers under the programme.
“It is however, important to make a distinction between government subsidised and open market fertilisers. Despite the fall in local revenue mobilisation which forced government to reduce the subsidy capacity, general supply of fertiliser on the market has not been disrupted and many more farmers have had easy access to them,” the statement pointed out, adding that “we believe that one of the major objectives of the PFJ programme, which was to introduce farmers to the adoption of fertilisers and improved seeds, has been significantly achieved.”
The statement reiterated the fact that “the country is very safe from any threats of food shortage and that the former President is only engaging in a desperate scare-mongering just for political expediency
Contractors working on the new Administration Block of the Regional Co-ordinating Council of Oti Region, have assured President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo that construction will be completed in November this year, and will be handed over to the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development in December.
This was made known to President Akufo-Addo on Thursday, 9th September 2021, when he paid a familiarisation visit to the site of the construction, as part of his working visit to the Oti Region.
Accompanied by the Oti Regional Minister, Hon. Joshua Makubu, and Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Hon. Dan Botwe, the President expressed satisfaction with the progress of work, and urged the contractor to ensure it is completed according to schedule.
When completed, the administration compex will house all the departments of the Oti Regional Co-ordinating Council and other institutions to ensure effective and efficient administration of the Region.
The administration block of the Oti Regional Co-ordinating Council is amongst six new administration structures being constructed for the six newly created Regions, and the first to be completed for use.
It will be recalled that on Sunday, 5th September 2021, the President commissioned the newly constructed office complex for use by the Western-North Regional Co-ordinating Council building. It is the first of the six (6) RCC buildings to be completed.
Oti Compost Plant
In Dambai, the President inspected ongoing work on the Oti Compost Plant, whose sod he cut on 22nd October 2020, which has so far created some two hundred (200) jobs for youth in the region.
With civil works 80% complete, beneficiary districts that will benefit from the plant include Krachi East, Nkwanta South, Biakoye, Kadjebi, Jasikan and Krachi Nchumuru.
The CEO of Jospong Group of Companies, Joseph Siaw Agyepong, told the President that the equipment required to operationalise the facility have arrived in the country, and will be installed in the coming weeks.
Once completed, he told the President that some 120 people will be employed directly at the facility.
The facility will include a solid waste treatment plant (compost plant), medical waste treatment plant, plastic recycling plant, tire recycling plant, laboratory, offices among others.
TheCompost Plant has an 80% waste recovery rate, and has the capacity to process 400 tons of solid waste on a sixteen (16) hour shift. The plant is designed to additionally process 60 tons of compost per day.
The 60 tons of compost that would be produced daily at the plant would displace over 864,000 bags of chemical fertilizers imported into Ghana. This would be a major savings on the country’s foreign exchange requirement.
It is anticipated that about 216,000 bags of compost would be produced annually per plant with additional 600,000 seedlings raised for distribution to commercial farms, mines reclamation and Governmental planting for food and jobs programme
The Paramount chief of Krachi Traditional Area, Nana Mprah Besemuna, has apologised to President Akufo-Addo for the failure of the Oti Region to win seats for his government in the 2020 general elections.
“It is sad that the Oti Region could not produce even one parliamentary seat, but we apologise,” the chief regretted in a speech he read when the president met with some traditional leaders of the Krachi East Municipality, Krachi West, and Biakoye Districts in Dambai on Thursday, 9 September 2021 during his regional tours.
The chief noted: “That is the beauty of the democracy. Being an astute politician, I believe you will appreciate the dynamics of the issues”, he added.
“We can apologise and urge you to put this behind you and focus on the vision of your developmental agenda for the Oti Region”, the traditional leader noted.
Oon development in the area, he said: “There has been a fair spread of resources and regional offices”.
“[The] feeder roads office is at Kete Krachi. Health Directorate at Worawora. Agric Department at Nkwanta. Education Service at Jasikan. NHIS at Kadjebi and Regional Coordinating Council and High Court at Dambai. These will not have happened without the creation of the region”, he said.
Responding to the chief, President Nana Akufo-Addo said: “We couldn’t win a parliamentary seat in the 2020 election but we did our best in the presidential [poll] even though it was not enough”.
“I urge you all to be reminded of the good things the government did for you and be appreciative”, the president told the chiefs.
Concerning his promise to build a bridge over River Oti, the president said: “I have made the promise and I am going to see to it that it is done”.
“I will make sure it is my legacy for this region”.
“We will do it; the bridge, as well as the technical university. We will ensure they are done,” he added
President Nana Akufo-Addo has told the people of the Oti Region that the construction of bridge over River Oti will be his legacy project.
The president, who is on a two-day tour of the Volta and Oti regions, told the chiefs of Dambai, Krachi and Nchumuru that he is determined to fulfil that promise.
“For the Oti bridge, I am determined, I made the promise and I am going to see to it that it is done. If you talk about legacy, I want the Oti bridge to be my legacy project”, the president said.
Meanwhile, contractors working on the new administration block of the Regional Co-ordinating Council of the Oti Region have assured the President that the works will be completed in November this year, and will be handed over to the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development in December.
This was made known to President Akufo-Addo on Thursday, 9 September 2021, when he paid a familiarisation visit to the site of the construction, as part of his working visit to the Oti Region.
Accompanied by the Oti Regional Minister, Mr Joshua Makubu, and the Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Mr Dan Botwe, the president expressed satisfaction with the progress of work, and urged the contractor to ensure it is completed according to schedule.
When completed, the administration complex will house all the departments of the Oti Regional Co-ordinating Council and other institutions to ensure effective and efficient administration of the Region.
The administration block of the Oti Regional Co-ordinating Council is amongst six new administration structures being constructed for the six newly created Regions, and the first to be completed for use.
It will be recalled that on Sunday, 5 September 2021, the President opened the newly-constructed office complex for use by the Western-North Regional Co-ordinating Council building. It is the first of the six RCC buildings to be completed.
Oti Compost Plant
In Dambai, the President inspected ongoing work on the Oti Compost Plant, whose sod he cut on 22 October 2020, which has so far created some 200 jobs for youth in the region.
With civil works 80% complete, beneficiary districts that will benefit from the plant include Krachi East, Nkwanta South, Biakoye, Kadjebi, Jasikan and Krachi Nchumuru.
The CEO of Jospong Group of Companies, Joseph Siaw Agyepong, told the President that the equipment required to operationalise the facility have arrived in the country, and will be installed in the coming weeks.
Once completed, he told the President that some 120 people will be employed directly at the facility.
The facility will include a solid waste treatment plant (compost plant), medical waste treatment plant, plastic recycling plant, tire recycling plant, laboratory, offices among others.
TheCompost Plant has an 80% waste recovery rate, and has the capacity to process 400 tons of solid waste on a 16-hour shift.
The plant is designed to additionally process 60 tonnes of compost per day.
The 60 tonnes of compost that would be produced daily at the plant would displace over 864,000 bags of chemical fertilisers imported into Ghana.
This would be major savings on the country’s foreign exchange requirement.
It is anticipated that about 216,000 bags of compost would be produced annually per plant with additional 600,000 seedlings raised for distribution to commercial farms, mines reclamation and Governmental planting for food and jobs programme
Level 400 UEW student dies after failed acrobatic move
A final year student of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW) has died after a failed acrobatic move during wild jubilations.
Saani Majeed is said to have broken his neck while backflipping as part of a mini-performance while jubilating after writing his final exam.
Benjamin Oppong a friend and coursemate, who witnessed the ordeal, told Adom News that young Majeed, a gymnast, was actually the best in the field as far as UEW was concerned.
However, he added that backflipping is an exercise that can cause dizziness and requires brief rests, an essential he said the student failed to observe.
After successfully doing five backflips, he said the Physical Education student felt dizzy, but he proceeded to do two more, which led him to fall flat.
The 31-year-old is said to have been unresponsive after he broke his neck due to the failed acrobatic move. First aid was administered.
Benjamin continued that he was rushed to the Winneba Hospital where he spent three days before he was transferred to the 37 Military Hospital where he passed on.
The deceased was transported to Grupe, where he hails from, for burial in accordance with Islamic rite.
Mourning has taken over UEW as they remember their late colleague today, as he was billed to perform at a campus show.
• Government has come under a barrage of corruption allegations from the NDC and John Dramani Mahama
Director of Communications at the presidency, Eugene Arhin, has said no president in the history of Ghana has fought corruption as much as his boss, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Arhin made the comment whilst addressing journalists at the Jubilee House on Tuesday, September 7, 2021.
His views were in response to a Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) survey that concluded that respondents did not believe in the president’s ability to fight corruption.
“The report is not one we can easily dismiss. Yes, they have conducted their survey but we, on the other hand, believe that in the fight against corruption, no President has done more than Nana Akufo-Addo and there are facts to back it.
“If we are to consider the funds that were sent to the five accountability institutions of states, there was a 25% increase in their funding in 2017. In 2018, there was a 34% increase across the board,” he added.
He further mentioned the Office of a Special Prosecutor, OSP, as a key plank in the president’s commitment to fighting corruption before stating that the presidency disagreed with the findings of the survey.
“The establishment of an independent institution to fight corruption, that is the office of the Special Prosecutor, was in fulfilment of a campaign result by the President.
“We thus disagree with the survey results. No President in the history of the country has fought corruption as much as Akufo-Addo has,” he stressed
Back in 2017, Arhin told TV3 that the Akufo-Addo-led government will call for investigations into any allegation of corruption made against any official on an as and when basis.
“We are not going to allow any single case of corruption [allegation] to be swept under the carpet,” Eugene Arhin said at the time.
His views were in response to corruption allegations levelled against then deputy chiefs of staff Francis Asenso-Boakye and Samuel Abu Jinapor by musician and New Patriotic Party (NPP) sympathizer A-Plus.
The two of them were subsequently cleared after an investigation and have since won seats in Parliament.
Recently, the government and the New Patriotic Party, NPP, have been on the defensive repelling corruption allegations levelled against the government by former President John Dramani Mahama on his ‘Thank You Tour
The Education Ministry says there is no food shortage in Senior High Schools (SHS’s) across the country.
According to the Deputy Minister for Education, Reverend John Ntim Forjour, speculations being peddled around that there was food shortage in certain SHS’s were unfortunate and an attempt to create a negative impression against the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo flagship programme which had been accepted by the nation and the rest of the world.
The Deputy Minister made the denial on Monday to the media after an unannounced visit to some selected SHSs in the Greater Accra region.
Some of the schools visited by the Deputy Minister were O’ Reilly SHS, Tema SHS and Achimota SHS.
The visit was aimed at ascertaining the fact about speculations by a section of the media that some SHS had run short of food.
Again, the visit was also used to wish candidates writing the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) well and encourage them to work hard to get the best results at the end of the examinations.
Background
The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Mr Thomas Musah in 2018 granted an interview on TV3 where he complained about the shortage of food in some SHSs in the country then.
Three years after the interview, the said video keeps popping up and creating the impression that there is food shortage in the schools.
Denial
When the Education Ministry called the General Secretary of GNAT to pinpoint the specific schools for a follow-up, he denied granting such an interview again and expressed surprise at the video and admitted that the circulating video was an old tape.null
He was upbeat that with the current response measures put in place by the Ministry, the issue of food shortage had not been a challenge again.
In a related development, the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, last Thursday evening embarked on a surprise visit to the Presbyterian Boys Senior High School (PRESEC) Legon to interact with the students and staff.
It was fun seeing the Education Minister spend time with first-year students of the school during prep.
The visit gave the Minister the opportunity to assess how their evening studies were organized as he had the opportunity to teach mathematics in one of the classrooms.
Former President John Dramani Mahama has pledged to continue with projects started by the current government if he is given the chance to lead the country after the 2024 general election.null
Addressing the Bono Regional House of Chiefs in Sunyani on his “Thank You Tour,” the 2020 Flagbearer of the NDC accused the government of neglecting projects started by his administration thereby causing financial loss to the State.
Former President Mahama was accompanied by the 2020 Vice Presidential Candidate of the NDC, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang and some National and Regional Executives of the party when he paid a courtesy call on the Bono Regional House of Chiefs.
It was to seek the blessing of the House as he began the Bono Regional leg of his Thank You Tour.
In his address, the President of the Bono Regional House of Chiefs appealed to Mr. Mahama to endeavour to continue projects started by the previous governments to ensure continuity of developmental initiatives if he came back to power in the 2024 general election.
He also called on the government to set up a Committee to investigate the violence that occurred in the 2020 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.null
Former President Mahama thanked the people of the Bono Region for showing support to the NDC during the 2020 elections.
Touching on the issue of abandoned projects, he accused the current Akufo Addo led administration of neglecting projects started by his administration and pledged to do better if given the nod in 2024.
On job creation, Mr. Mahama insisted that the current government has not done enough.
“The NDC is open to dialogue on youth employment so as to address challenges in that area,” he stated.
The team also paid a courtesy call on the Bono Regional Chief Imam, where special prayers were said for Former President Mahama and the NDC.
The Kumasi Circuit Court has sentenced a 45-year-old woman, Theresa Asamoah to six years in prison with hard labour for her involvement in a baby theft incident at the Kumasi South Hospital.
Her daughter, 21-year-old Priscilla Appiah, who pleaded not guilty, has been granted a GHS100,000 bail with three sureties to be justified.
According to the Police, their investigations show that Theresa Asamoah and Priscilla Appiah on June 10, 2019, tricked a nursing mother who had just delivered at the hospital and took away her baby.
The police say the woman who had just delivered, migrated from Nandom and was a head porter staying with Theresa Asamoah and her daughter who at the time had faked a pregnancy to her husband.
During the court hearing on Thursday, the prosecutor Inspector Oparebea stated that Priscilla Appiah then took the baby home and informed her husband that she had given birth while the head porter, Sylvia Pime, was told that her baby died shortly after she gave birth and was sacked from the house.
The prosecutor added that Sylvia Pime, after receiving that news, went back to her hometown, Nandom only to return in two years time to Kumasi to realise that her baby was still alive.
She then reported to the police.
Speaking to Citi News, the Ashanti regional coordinator of the Domestic Violence and Victim’s Support Unit, (DOVSU) of the Ghana Police Service, Superintendent Susana Dery says they launched investigations immediately which led to the arrest of the suspects.
Pastor jailed 24 years with hard labour after defiling daughter. A 41-year-old pastor of the African Faith Tabernacle Church at Nyinahin in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region, has been sentenced to 24 years in prison with hard labour for defiling his 14-year-old daughter.
During the judgement on Thursday, September 9, 2021, the pastor, Paul Nkansah, pleaded guilty to the two charges of defilement and incest.
The court presided over by Patricia Amponsah found him guilty on all the two charges.
He was then sentenced to 22 years in prison for defilement and 24 years in prison for incest.
The two sentences will run concurrently.
During the hearing, the Police Prosecutor, Inspector Regina Oparebea, disclosed that Paul Nkansah was previously jailed for 20 years on a different charge of defilement at Akim Oda, but the sentence was reduced five years after an appeal.
• Sammy Gyamfi has affirmed that former President Mahama will not retract or apologise for his ‘do or die’ comment
• Mahama in a recent interview said the NDC in 2024 will consider the election to be a ‘do or die’ affair at the polling station
• There has been several demands for the former president to retract his statement which many see as a call for violence
National Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Sammy Gyamfi, has affirmed that there will not be any apology for former president John Dramani Mahama’s recent comment on the party’s position going into the 2024 general elections.
Former President Mahama in a recent interview, stated that the NDC will consider the 2024 election a ‘do or die affair’ in terms of the protection of ballots and the collating of results.
The comment has received widespread condemnation with many of his critics equating his statement to a call for violence. There have since been various calls demanding the former president to retract his statement and issue an apology.
But speaking on the Thursday edition of Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana, Sammy Gyamfi who was defensive of the former president said “President Mahama will not retract the statement today, tomorrow or forever.”
He explained that the statement by Mr Mahama made, was only borne out of events in the 2020 elections, which the NDC maintains was rigged by the ruling New Patriotic Party, hence, the resolve of the NDC to be extra vigilant in the next election.
Sammy Gyamfi maintained that there was a clear distinction between Mr Mahama’s statement and what critics say was a call for violence by then opposition candidate, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who declared the 2012 elections an ‘all die be die’ affair.
Speaking on the comparison of the two statements, Sammy Gyamfi said “There is no parallel between ‘do or die’ as said by (former) president Mahama and the infamous ‘all die be die’ statement then opposition leader, President Akufo-Addo made. These two statements are not the same. They are worlds apart. When you are interpreting something, you interpret it as a whole. If you look at what President Mahama said that at the polling station, it will be ‘do or die’ because the right things must be done. But with the ‘all die be die’ statement that candidate Akufo-Addo made in the round up to the 2012 elections, it was the first time that a candidate from in opposition will stand on a platform and publicly advocate for violence.
“Here, President Mahama is not saying go and engage in violence or lawlessness, he even said that we will not engage in cheating so nobody will cheat us. So unless the NPP intends to steal the election in 2024, unless they want to do the wrong things at the polling station, unless they intend to resort to intimidation, lawlessness and violence which led to the death of 8 Ghanaians in the just ended 2020 elections, unless they want to repeat that again, we don’t think there should be any issues,” he said.
Meanwhile, investigative journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni has condemned former President Mahama for the comments he made. According to Manasseh, Mr Mahama stands a better chance of winning the 2024 elections, hence, his party must focus on robust and effective means of protecting and collating results come 2024 instead of resorting to violence.
U.S Ambassador, Stephanie Sullivan, cutting the tape to commission the oxygen plant.
The United States (U.S) government has provided oxygen support system to the country to facilitate the provision of live-saving care for Covid-19 patients.××
The system, including four oxygen plants, each with the capacity to produce 250 litters of oxygen per minute for approximately 25 severely ill patients per day, was presented to the Ministry of Health (MoH) at a ceremony at the Ghana Infectious Disease Centre (GIDC), in Accra.
The package also includes the supply of oxygen cylinders, pulse oximeters and the training of health staff and engineers on how to properly use and maintain the equipment.
U.S Ambassador to Ghana, Stephanie Sullivan, handing over the system to the government said the support addresses the immediate and medium-term effects of Covid-19 on the health, agriculture, education and hard-hit private sectors.
“This oxygen support is critical in the short-term to address Ghana’s Covid-19 critical care needs and in the long-term, strengthen Ghana’s provision of oxygen, intensive care, maternal and new born care,” she said.
Ambassador Sullivan said the U. S government will continue to support the country’s response to curb the spread of Covid-19, save lives and strengthen its health system.
“Later this month we will commission three additional plants at Cape Coast Municipal Hospital, Kumasi South and Temale.
The U.S government is also providing 28 high-flow, high pressure oxygen concentrators to healthcare facilities across the country. Each specialized concentrator can provide oxygen for three severely ill patients at a time,” she added.
She said the U.S government is taking the lead role in the global pandemic response indicating that no nation can act alone in the face of a pandemic.
The Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu in a speech read on his behalf said the oxygen system will help stabilize the health system to manage effectively Covid-19 patients.
“In managing Covid-19, we will use oxygen as some point indicating that although health staff can easily deal with using portable oxygen concentrators, for Covid-19 they are found to be less effective.
Therefore, this is coming in at a time we really need it and we thank God and the U.S government,” he said.
Acting Director of the GIDC Dr. Joseph Oliver-Commey, said the gesture will go a long way in helping the country achieve its goal of providing safe, quality, and affordable health care to its unfortunate loved ones during the pandemic.
“We know the American government always delivers on its promises. as part of this donation, we have been promised other oxygen consumables,” he said
Fire has ravaged the Gary Marvin Memorial Hospital, a private maternity hospital at Kotwi.
The hospital is located within the Atwima Kwanwoma district.
According to personnel of the Ghana National Fire Service, the inferno started around 10:45 am on Thursday, September 9, 2021. The personnel were overwhelmed by the fire.
They stated that the fire was out of control by the time they got to the Hospital, leading to the destruction of the entire last floor of the health facility.
Speaking to the media, Public Relations officer for the Ashanti Regional Ghana National Fire Service, DO 3 Desmond Ackah, indicated that management of the facility was however able to evacuate all patients from the hospital before the situation got out of hand.
He urged the public to desist from waiting for fire outbreaks to explode before reporting to the fire service to minimize the losses and fatalities.
The hospital currently has 36 in-patient beds with an average survey of 3000 patients/month attendance.
The cause of the fire was still unknown as at the time of filing this report.
The NPP’s Yaw Buaben Asamoa has said Mahama’s admission that elections are won at the polling station vindicates the EC for any charges he levelled against the electoral body at the Supreme Court.
The Director of Communications for the governing New Patriotic Party, Yaw Buaben Asamoa, is the latest to take on former President John Dramani Mahama over his “do or die” comment.
Mr. Asamoa on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News said it is disappointing that the former President made comments likely to incite violence in Ghana.
“His comment is not edifying. When you say do or die, where does it end and on what basis? Should we shed blood because of your particular desire? It just demonstrates to all of us that John Mahama has a deficit in his leadership skills,” Mr. Asamoa said.
While on his ‘Thank You’ tour in the Bono Region, this week, the 2020 presidential candidate of the NDC on Tuesday said his party will be more vigilant during the 2024 general elections.
“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,” Mahama said.
He has since been criticized by many who believe his statement was in bad taste.
But Mr. Mahama has strongly justified his comment, insisting that it was an idiomatic expression.
“It is an idiomatic expression. In the English Language, we have idioms in there. I think those who left school early do not understand idiomatic expressions. Do or die means a critical assignment you have, and you must do the needful or perish. What it means is that [officials of the] NDC shouldn’t wait and go to the Supreme Court again.”
Mr. Asamoa said the former President’s comment nullifies his claim that the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC) failed to ensure a free and fair election.
“It [his comment] demonstrates that he has been misplacing his angst against the Electoral Commission. He has now realised that elections are won at the polling station, so all the struggle to damn the Electoral Commissioner, where does it lead now? Perhaps the EC deserves an apology from him.”
The Chief Executive Officer for Asante Kotoko, Nana Yaw Amponsah has revealed that he can never work for their sworn-rivals Hearts of Oak after his tenure at the Porcupine Warriors comes to an end.
The former GFA Presidential hopeful in an exclusive interview with Starr FM disclosed that it will be impossible for him to ever cross-carpet to join the year 2000 CAF Champions League winners in any capacity.
It’s been widely reported that the 38-year-old football administrator was an ardent fan of Hearts of Oak before accepting the Chief Executive Officer role at Asante Kotoko. He has however debunked that assertion and further stated that he can never work for the reigning champions of the Ghana Premier League.
“After delivering my mandate at Asante Kotoko, if Great Olympics comes for my services I’ll surely do a professional job there but I’ll never go to Hearts of Oak” Amponsah told Nana Aba Anamoah on StarrChat.
“It is impossible to work for Kotoko’s rivals, Accra Hearts of Oak, I don’t think it will ever happen” he concluded.
Nana Yaw Amponsah took over as the CEO for the porcupine Warriors about a year ago and led the team to a runner up spot in the Ghana Premier League last season
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has dismissed Sky News report on a supposed partnership between Ghana and UK on a third country asylum.
According to the Ministry, Ghana is not interested in any third country asylum partnership with the British government.
The ministry further stated that it has not held any discussion or received any proposal from the British government centered on third country asylum partnership.
Sky News UK reported that the recent meeting between Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, and the UK Minister for Africa, James Duddridge, had addressed a partnership for third country asylum.
However, a statement issued by the Foreign Affairs Ministry September 8,2021 stated that “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration wish to clarify that at no point in the discussion was a partnership on a third country asylum addressed.
“As part of the discussion between the UK Minister and Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, the UK Minister informed Ghana Foreign Minister that the UK would be submitting a draft proposal for a partnership in areas of security and migration. So far, no such proposal has been shared with Ghana side.”
The ministry categorically stated Ghana is not interested or has no intention to consider any proposal on third country asylum
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has commissioned Oti Region’s first One District One Factory project.
The factory which is located at Adonkwanta in the Krachi East Municipality, is a wholly owned Ghanaian company.
CH Global Limted Food Processing factory, processes yam and cassava into chips and balls as well as animal feed.
Currently, it has the capacity to process over 800 tubers of yam per day, a raw material, which is abundant in the Oti enclave.
The factory which currently employs 252 workers including casuals is expected to double its staff when the factory scale up operations.
Residents in the area expressed delight for the project and hoped more will be established to make use of the many other food crops that go waste on their farm lands.
A farmer, Diahmatu Kpapu who is also a nurse in the area said, “this will surely create jobs and give those of us farming ready market for our produce.”
The President as part of his tour for the day interacted with traditional leaders in Krachi West, Krachi East, Krachi Nchumuru and Biakoye Dostricts.
He is expected to inspect ongoing infrastructural and road projects in the region.
Government functionaries a accompanying him include, Minister of Agriculture,Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Herbert Krapa, Oti Regional Minister, Joseph Makubu, the Oti NPP Chairman, Evans Dapaah and a host of others
Former deputy Minister of Youth and Sports under the erstwhile NDC administration, Joseph Yamin has threatened to deal with any member of the Peace Council and other Christian bodies in the country who dare to speak against former President John Mahama’s infamous do or die proclamation.××
According to the former Deputy Sports Minister, the Peace Council members are hypocrites and in the pockets of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), hence they dont have locus to speak against the twice defeated former President.
He indicated that the Peace Council only comes out to bash the NDC when they make any statement they do not agree with.
Joseph Yamin who takes the Peace Council to the cleaners on Happy Fm, political talk show lamented that “the Peace Council which has been sleeping in the wake of the destruction the NPP has set Ghana on, should “keep on sleeping and not dare comment on former President Mahama’s to do or die statement.”
He claimed “The Peace Council and other Christian bodies should not dare make any statement criticising former President Mahama over his do or die statement. They will only incur the wrath of Ghanaians if they make any comment on this”.
He added that “Whatever the NPP does or says is good to them but when the NDC does it, they all come rushing to condemn it”.
He described the culture of these bodies glorifying the NPP and seeing them as saints while demonizing the NDC as an affront to nation-building insisting, “The culture where no one condemns the NPP even when they act negatively but are quick to condemn the NDC is not something we should keep promoting. We must change.”
During his election 2020 ‘Thank You’ tour, John Mahama made the controversial statement on Tuesday, September 7, that; “we were robbed, but we accepted the verdict for the sake of peace.”
“But I want to state here that the next elections would be won or lost at the polling station. So at the polling station, it will be doing 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,” he told Techiman-based Akina FM.
This comment has received condemnation from a cross-section of Ghanaians who have called on the former President to retract his statement as it is unbecoming of a statesman, which he has refused.
He says his utterance regarding a ‘do or die’ affair at polling stations in 2024 is an idiomatic expression that has been misconstrued by the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP)
Scores of youth have massed up at the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) Job Fair in search of jobs from several employers.
The youth, numbering over 1,000, were seen standing in long queues at the Accra International Conference Centre, with many of them struggling to enter the building to secure jobs with companies.
The primary objective of the YEA Job Fair is to provide opportunities for job seekers to go through live interview sessions to get employed by the participating companies from the private sector.
Some of the job seekers spoke to Citi News.
One of them said, “I was here as early as 8:00am, and it’s almost 1:00pm. The experience has been very tough because there is no organization at the place, and we are all just here rushing in and coming out.”
“I got here around 9:30 am and it is almost 1:00pm. When we got here, we were asked to do registration, but things are not working here. It is now left to who is strong that can enter,” another also said.
The various security agencies have recently begun processes to enlist more persons.
Thousands of Ghanaian youth thronged the El Wak Sports Stadium in Accra to participate in a documentation and medical screening process for recruitment into the Ghana Armed Forces.
However, this has been the trend for some years now, depicting the growing levels of youth unemployment in the country.
From as early as 4:00am, applicants started a queue that stretched for over four kilometres.
This was after the announcement from the Ghana Armed Forces informing the public of the commencement of a recruitment exercise back in May.
Scribe of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has told those having issues with John Mahama’s Do or Die comment to blame their English teachers and check their dictionaries.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) says it is unfazed by criticisms of the ‘do or die’ comment made by its 2020 presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama.
It says, despite the huge pressure on the former president to retract his comment, the remark is without malice.
There has been widespread controversy following the pronouncement by John Mahama after he said the NDC will be more vigilant during the 2024 general elections.
Mr. Mahama subsequently justified the comment, explaining that it is an idiomatic expression, hence he will not retract or apologize.
General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah on Citi FM’s Eyewitness News sided with Mr. Mahama.
The NDC chief scribe said Mr. Mahama was emphasizing the need for party folks to give off their utmost in protecting the party’s interest in the elections to come.
“What has Mahama done wrong? I think people want to disrupt us from the good things we are doing. When we say ‘do or die’ assignment, it means you must use all your energies to do something, I don’t see how this is problematic unless for those who do not understand or fail to understand the obvious. He was communicating in English language. And in the English language, there are idiomatic expressions. Whoever does not understand it, may look it up in the dictionary. It is the Queen’s language.”
Arguing more in favour of the party’s leader, Asiedu Nketiah was also of the view that the comment many have described as inflammatory is just being blown out of proportion.
“We don’t think this should be something people should be worried about at all. So if no one is interested in destroying the results, why should that statement scare anybody? I don’t see why people should make a fuss about this thing at all. I am so surprised about this hypocrisy. People are trying to make mountain out of a molehill. If someone has issues with this, he should go and blame his English teacher, he should not be worrying us”, he added.
Mahama’s defence
Mahama explained that the comment was meant to be a piece of advice to members of his party to urge them to sit up and not wait to be cheated at the polling stations before running to the Supreme Court to litigate election results.
However, his critics believe the statement is in bad taste and demanded a retraction.
“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,” Mr. Mahama explained.
Former Member of Parliament for Kumbungu, Ras Mubarak and his ex-wife, Portia Rasheeda Adams are at each other’s throat over the payment of school fees for their kids, sum to sixty-three thousand Ghana cedis (GHC63,000).
In a Facebook post on Wednesday night, the National Democratic Congress ex-MP stated categorically that he can’t pay the latest admission fees for the kids.××
He explained that it was because the ex-wife enrolled the kids into a new school with exorbitant fees without his consent.
According to him, he “would not be forced to pay for something I cannot afford” especially when he didn’t sign up for it.
Ras Mubarak was responding to an alleged abrasive message he received from the ex-wife, Rasheeda Adams who has threatened to take him on in court if he dares refused to perform his fatherly duties. The alleged text message he shared on his Facebook page read:
“So you, you don’t have shame? Bill of 63 you went to pay only 10k, even that one in small small bits.
Then you will finish and be making noise that you’re paying school fees and your kids are in Roman Ridge school. Aboa! Church rat like you. You’re jobless and useless and instead of you to behave well so I have time to work and look after kids you can’t look after, all you know how to do is to open your smelly mouth and be talking nonsense on social media. Go and pay the remainder of your half (which is 31k). Or wait and pay it in court. Useless man. Also I’m going to make new birth Certificates and passports for them bearing my name since you’re useless as a father. And you better not show your shameful face in that school to embarrass my kids. Stupid man.”
In a lengthy response to the alleged message on his Facebook wall, he described Rasheeda as someone who lives a fake life but he does not fake.
He wrote: “The worst thing a man can do to himself is to have kids with the wrong woman. A scheming manipulator who should have been exposed for the fraud she is if the journalists who give her their platforms took their job seriously.
At least some of us don’t make a living from lying and claiming to be who we are not. I walk proudly with my chest high and my head up; unlike this phony self loathing character – Portia Rasheeda Adams, who parades as an influencer and claims to have sold houses worth millions of dollars in and out of Ghana, yet lives in a one bedroom rented apartment which rent she struggles to pay, yet has the nerve to call me names.
A liar who claims she has 10years’ experience as a realtor, and none of the journalists who gave her platform to lie to the country bothered to even double check on that.
Millions of dollars worth of houses sold, she claims. Well, if our society was working, the tax man would have taken an interest.
A woman who has changed 4 residences in 5years, changed 4 schools in 4years without consulting or at least agreeing with the father who pays the children’s fees. And she has the nerve, to send me such a message?
For the record, in all the kids previous schools (Brainy Bairn, Dolly Memorial, Victoria Grammar), any journalist interested in the truth can go find out how my daughters’ fees was paid. As a responsible father, I paid every Cedi or dollar with my sweat, but of course as a matter of principle refused to have anything to do with admission fees as I was not consulted about the changes in school and or my concerns completely ignored.
On this latest school she took the kids to where admission fee is over twenty thousand cedis per child, I would again not pay a dime in admission fees since phony Ms. Adams decided to be a “rich girl.” For someone with a notorious and ignoble record of changing kids’ school every year and three months, I won’t throw away my money. Moreover, I would not be forced to pay for something I cannot afford. Unlike phony Ms. Portia Adam, I don’t live a fake life.
Let me remind fake Rasheeda Adams if she’s soon forgotten where I picked her from. She was an ambulance chasing reporter way down the ladder at Metro TV in 2013 where she lied that she had a BA degree in English from a University in Nigeria just so they could employ her. She cried and begged me to marry her because she was carrying my baby.
And with all her “mouth mouth” about not living off men, she’s currently driving an old rusty thing she calls car bought for her by a man who’s supposed to be her lawyer in a divorce case. Do your worst Rich Girl. Don’t threaten me. Go ahead and change my kids names and passports.
Kumawood actor, Agya Koo is denying reports that he advised parents to take out their children from Ghana due to insecurity in the country.
According to him, he didn’t make any such statement. The reports were fabricated lies targeted at destroying my reputation, he said.
Viral reports over the weekend quoted the popular actor asking parents to protect their children from getting killed due to recent in killings in some parts of the country.
“Currently, most parents in this country are not comfortable even when their kids go out to play because they fear something might happen to their children. For me, if you are a parent and you have what it takes, send your children to America or other safer countries. The killing and kidnapping is too much in this country”, he was quoted.
The reports further claimed that he spoke with a Kumasi-based radio station.
However in his reaction via a Facebook video, Agya Koo said those were not his words.
“It hurts when people try to ruin your reputation, they can use just a single day to bring you down.
Some online platforms are trying to wrongly accuse me of something I didn’t say. In fact, I can never say that. They claim I have issued a strong warning to parents to send their children abroad. Those circulating the news did not call me to confirm the story,” he stated.
“I never said that, as we know, they couldn’t even provide a voice or a video of me saying that. Just because I am famous and also close to the NPP, they want to say this to disgrace the party but I want to let them know that this cannot shame the party,” he indicated.
“God has blessed NPP, everything they are doing, Ghanaians love and appreciate it …very soon Ghanaians won’t even be bothered about abroad.
Our friends in abroad if they have the opportunity they will come down and we are praying for them. So I never said anything as they claim. I can never said that,” he added.
Agya Koo is one of the many creative art personalities who endorsed Akufo Addo’s presidency. He also mounted campaign platforms to canvass for votes for the president leading up 2016 and 2020 general elections.
Unfortunately it appears some persons are using him to score their political points
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