Monthly Archives: February 2024

News, Politics

All public secondary and tertiary institutions to get WIFi Zones – John Mahama

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2024 Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama has promised free WiFi for all public second cycle and tertiary institutions across the country if the NDC forms the next government.

This he says will form part of the NDC’s unparalleled investments in the education sector which he assured his government will continue with.

‘When we promise, we deliver. And that’s going to be part of our education policy’ – John Mahama, who was speaking during an interactive session with students of Savannah College of Education, christened ‘Campus Connect’, assured.

According to him, the free WiFi service, shall be at strategic locations on the various campuses to facilitate academic work.

The former President, who received a rousing welcome was touring some communities as part of his #BuildingGhanaTour of the Savannah Region.

News, Showbiz

Morgan Heritage lead singer Peter Anthony Morgan dead

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Peter Anthony Morgan, the lead singer of the Jamaican reggae band Morgan Heritage, a Grammy Award-winning group, has died.

He was 46, The Associated Press reported.

Mr Morgan’s family confirmed his death in a statement on the band’s social media platforms. It did not give a cause of death and information about his survivors was not immediately available.

The statement described him as a husband, father, son and brother.

Mr. Morgan, known as “Peetah,” started Morgan Heritage with some of his siblings in 1994.

For some early albums, including “Protect Us Jah” (1997) and “Don’t Haffi Dread” (1999), Morgan Heritage worked with Bobby Digital, one of Jamaica’s most influential producers.

 

At the 2015 Grammys, the band’s album “Strictly Roots” won for Best Reggae Album of the year. Its album “Avrakedabra” was up for the same award two years later, but lost out to “Stony Hill” by Damian Marley, a son of Bob Marley.

Politics, Topstory

24-hr economy policy is surest way to grow economy – Mahama

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The 2024 flag bearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC),  John Dramani Mahama, has reiterated his commitment to expanding Ghana’s economy the much touted ‘24 hour economy’ policy.

Speaking at the end of a two-day policy dialogue by the party at Peduase  in the Eastern Region, the former president described the policy as a game changer, stressing that it would massively improve the economic fortunes of the country.

“The 24-hour economy now remains perhaps the surest way to achieve significant economic expansion, boost productivity, meet demand, curb unbridled imports and its attendant negative effects on our economy and currency and above all generate well-paying jobs for the millions of our people who are without employment.

“I am encouraged by the very positive feedback and input we continue to receive on the proposal from our compatriots in organised labour, academia, business and industry,” he said.

The two -day policy dialogue was organised under the auspices of the NDC Social Democracy Lab, a policy think tank group of the party.

The dialogue brought together many interest groups in the party to fashion out and fine tune public policies under three thematic areas : Human Development, Finance and Economy and Governance.

 

 

News, Politics

Bawumia must stop calling himself a ‘mate’ and be realistic – Asante Otchere

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A senior lecturer at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) , Mr Jonathan Asante Otchere has criticized Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia’s campaign strategy ahead of the December polls.

The political analyst believes it is time Bawumia, who is also the flag bearer of the governing NPP, accepts responsibility on the economic setbacks and stop blaming others for the ailing economy.

During his first address to the nation after he was elected leader of the NPP, Bawumia asked Ghanaians to give him the opportunity to serve and pursue his own vision.

What stoked controversy was when he pledged to abolish the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-Levy), betting tax, Emissions Levy among others which his government imposed on Ghanaians despite stiff opposition from citizens.

Bawumia who described himself as a driver’s mate (bus conductor) assured that when given the nod, he would drive the country to a path of growth and prosperity.

But Asante Otchere who was speaking in an interview on New York-based Adinkra TV lashed out at the vice president and asked him to be sincere to the people of Ghana.

“That driver -mate analogy is wrong. A vice president can never be a mate to the president; they are partners… They are colleagues. It is just that the president is the premus inter paris. A mate cannot drive when the driver isn’t around, ” Otchere told host Daakyehene Ofosu Agyemang.

He argued that the Vice President was an important figure in the government’s economic management team that drafted all the tax policies and other strategies that had impact on the economy.

He wondered why Bawumia would want to take credit for some gains of the Akufo-Addo government and run away from the challenges of the government.

“Ahead of the 2020 elections, Bawumia read the NPP’s manifesto in Cape Coast and even promised the people an airport,” he said while emphasizing on the role Bawumia played in the government.

To Otchere, Bawumia can not pretend he was not part of the decisions the government took over the past 7 years that have crashed the economy.

Instead, he urged Bawumia to be honest with Ghanaians and not shift blame on other members of his team including President Akufo-Addo.

 

 

News, Politics

No stolen booty found in Opuni’s house after ‘excavation’ — Lawyer

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The extensive searches including a reported excavation for alleged stolen booty conducted in the house of the former boss of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Stephen Kwabena Opuni, became a topical issue in his trial at the Accra High Court last Wednesday.

During cross-examination, counsel for Dr Opuni, Samuel Codjoe, inquired from a witness whether the numerous searches of his client’s official residence in Accra and family house in Dorma Ahemkro led to the discovery of any stolen item.

The witness, Paul Agyei Gyang, a Senior Operational staff at the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), admitted that nothing was found after the searches, but refuted counsel’s claims that investigators excavated Mr Opuni’s house in search of stolen booty.

Not guilty

Dr Opuni and Seidu Agongo, the CEO of Agricult Ghana Limited, an agrochemical company, were dragged to court in March 2018.

State prosecutors have accused the two of causing financial loss of more than GH¢271 million to the state in a series of Lithovit Foliar fertiliser transactions.

It is the case of the prosecution that the fertiliser was substandard and has accused Agongo of allegedly using fraudulent means to sell the fertiliser to COCOBOD for onward distribution to cocoa farmers.

It has further accused Dr Opuni of using his position as the CEO of COCOBOD (November 2013 to January 2017) to facilitate the alleged acts of Agongo by allowing the Lithovit fertiliser not to be tested and certified as required by law.

Dr Opuni and Agongo have pleaded not guilty to 24 counts ranging from wilfully causing financial loss to the state, defrauding by false pretence, contravention of procurement laws, corruption of a public officer and manufacturing fertiliser without registration.

The two are on self-recognisance bail in the sum of GH¢300,000 each.

Searches

Mr Gyang is testifying as a defence witness for Agongo after being subpoenaed by the court following a request by lawyers for the businessman.

During the cross-examination, Mr Codjoe sought to establish that the searches conducted at his client’s premises during the investigations in 2017 were so extensive to the extent that the room of Dr Opuni’s deceased mother was searched without any regard to tradition.

According to counsel, during the searches, his client was not given access to his phone, neither was he given prior notice of the searches or were his lawyers allowed to accompany him on the searches.

However, the witness countered that the investigative team sought the consent of Dr Opuni before conducting the said searches, and that the former cocoa boss was with his lawyer all the time.

Mr Gyang also informed the court that it would have been against best practices in investigations to give Dr Opuni prior notice before conducting a search in his residence and family house.

 

Source: Graphic

News, Topstory

Cocoa farmers must vote against NPP for collapsing the sector – BOT

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Chartered Economist and a member of of the opposition NDC, Bernard Oduro Takyi (BOT) has urged Ghanaian farmers to vote against the NPP government in the 2024 elections for “collapsing the agriculture sector”.

The entrepreneur stated that previous budget statements of the government and statistics from the Ghana Statistical Service indicate that the Agric sector growth has declined ever since President Akufo-Addo took over power.

Quoting the 2017 and 2018 budget statements on the Gumbe Show program on TV XYZ, Oduro Takyi popularly known as BOT said the figures in the budget depicted that the Agric sector grew under the Mahama era but started to decline when the Akufo-Addo administration took over.

According to him, the cocoa sector took a nose dive under Akufo-Addo, explaining that the scrapping of free fertilizers for Cocoa farmers by the Akufo-Addo government has negatively affected the sector.

For instance, he said the cocoa road projects the Mahama administration introduced to rehabilitate feeder roads in the cocoa growing areas was halted by Akufo-Addo.

“This cocoa road projects was halted by the Akufo-Addo to tarnish the image of Dr Opuni, who was the then COCOBOD Boss.

“This government didn’t think about the farmers and they took huge amount of dollars to Kroll and Associates to audit the project but they couldn’t publish the report which stated that the project was a clean contract,” BOT told host Oheneba Boamah Bennie.

He further urged the cocoa farmers whose trade has been destroyed by the Akufo-Addo government to stage a protest against the NPP government and its flagbearer Dr Bawumia and kick them out.

“The cocoa sector has collapsed under President Akufo-Addo. Farmers should vote the NPP government out on December 7 as their way of expressing protest, ” he urged.

Again, BOT assured that the ” Cocoa Road projects will return under the next NDC/John Mahama government to make their roads motorable.”

 

Source: Myxyzonline.com

News, Showbiz

Afua Asantewaa’s sing-a-thon attempt was unsuccessful – Guinness World Records

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Guinness World Records has officially declared that Afua Asantewaa’s attempt to establish the record for the longest individual singing marathon was not successful.

In a tweet on Friday, February 23, 2024, sighted by GhanaWeb, the official response read: “Unfortunately Afua’s Guinness World Records attempt for the longest singing marathon was not successful, but we hope that she will make another attempt soon. We’ve seen how inspirational it has been for her fans.”

On December 24, Asantewaa embarked on a mission to break the Guinness World Record for the longest singing marathon. She was the toast of December in GH as she sang for 126 hours and 52 minutes. She initially planned to end on 27th December; however, after consultation with her team, she decided to sing continuously for five days.

The event which took place at the Akwaaba Village in Accra, near the Kotoka International Airport, saw thousands in attendance in their bid to support her and be part of history.

A tall list of showbiz personalities including Nana Ama McBrown, Kwabena Kwabena, Efya, Sista Afia, Afronitaa, Delay, Cina Soul, Clemento Suarez, Akuapem Poloo, Lawyer Nti, Piesie Esther and OB Amponsah also thronged the venue demonstrating their collective support for the event.

The commentaries were overwhelmingly positive, with people consistently applauding and encouraging her to forge ahead in her impressive endeavor.


Asantewaa pays $750 to expedite action

Earlier this month, Afua Asantewaa, an entrepreneur and media personality, revealed that she had paid $750 to officials to quicken her review. She told JoyNews that two weeks after attempting the record, she opted to expedite her review process, leading her to pay the specified amount.

“I have an account with them [GWR] so right after the record attempt, they requested for our files because we were putting everything together. They reached out to us and requested for our videos. I think after two weeks of waiting, we decided to go in for a priority review.

“The normal review takes not less or more than twelve weeks but if you want it quick you pay an amount of money and they review your file within five working days and that is what we paid for.

“Officially, it is $650 but if you are going to pay into an account, you have to pay some transaction fees. So totally we paid around $750,” she said.

Guinness World Records refunds Asantewaa’s money to her

In the Friday tweet which officially announced Asantewaa’s disqualification, Guinness World Records said the amount has been refunded.

“The evidence check had already begun before Afua requested priority service, so we refunded her payment earlier this month. We wish Afua the best of luck with any future record attempts,” the tweet said.



Who holds the record?

According to the official report from Guinness World Records, the longest singing marathon by an individual was accomplished by Sunil Waghmare from India. This remarkable feat lasted for an impressive 105 hours and took place in Nagpur, India, from March 3 to March 7, 2012.

The record-breaking attempt commenced at 11:06 am on March 3, featuring a diverse selection of popular Indian songs. Notably, each song sung during the marathon was unique and not repeated within 4 hours. The event concluded on the evening of March 7, culminating in a celebratory sing-along with Mr. Waghmare and his supporters.

News, Politics

Police Administration distancing itself from DCOP Waabu’s comments shocking – John Mahama

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2024 Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress, John Dramani Mahama has described as shocking, the decision by the Police Administration, to distance itself from election security related comments by DCOP Gabriel Prince Waabu, Director General in charge of Research.

John Mahama who was speaking at a durbar to mark the Ahmadiya Muslim Mission’s centenary celebration at Gomoa Pomadze in the Central Region said after listening to the statement of the Police capo, he finds it strange for the Service to dissociate itself from a statement of fact, and even go further to say DCOP Waabu, who is a member of the Police Management Board, will be subjected to internal discipline.
DCOP Gabriel Prince Waabu, who was speaking at the launch of Accra-based Joy FM’s 2024 elections coverage, said … “We’re not maybe going to involve the military, as it were, because it was not even the police that came out with this issue. So, it’s going to be only the Police, the Prisons, Fire and then Immigration that are going to conduct this election. They are going to support us; it is our baby,”
DCOP further clarified in response to a follow up question, added “ elections are internal matters over which the police have a clear-cut mandate. “It’s a clear-cut issue. Every internal issue is the police duty, and that is for sure in place,”
He was apparently responding to concerns about violent incidents involving the elections security taskforce, with specific reference to the Ayawaso West Wuogon by-elections on January 31, 2019 and the killing of eight persons in Techiman South during the 2020 elections.
But that did not go well with the Police Administration, which has since apologized to the military.
The NDC flagbearer, said described the response by the Police Administration, unacceptable.
“If we must have a peaceful election, the security services must be neutral. That is why I find strange, the decision to disassociate the Service from the statement by one of their own, about the role of the military in election. And think he was right. The Polic has the primary responsibility of guaranteeing security for a free and fair election” he noted.
Mr. Mahama further stated “The Ghana Police Service is responsible for the National, Regional And District Election Security Taskforce and it’s their call to invite their sister security services to participate. And so if somebody says election security is the baby of the Police service it’s true. It is their primary responsibility” he added.
On the role of the military in ensuring internal peace and security, John Mahama said election security is not part of the immediate mandate of the Ghana Armed Forces.
“The military are called when the Police cannot handle a situation and so if somebody says election security is the baby of the police service, he is right and I agree with him. It is the primary responsibility of the IGP and the Police service to provide us with security and other security services are to compliment their efforts.
The military are not supposed to be in polling centers, collation centers, but deployed to safe location when the police cannot handle a situation” he emphasized.

News, Politics

You’ve become an extension of NPP – Chris Dugan tackles Peace Council

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Chris Doughan, one of the spokespersons for the main opposition NDC has harshly descended on the National Peace Council (NPC) over its “double standards.

The vociferous NDC communicator who was speaking on Inside Politics programme on TV XYZ indicated that the NPC had no moral right to admonish political parties to use peaceful means to conduct their activities before and during the elections.

Recently the NPC advised political parties to avoid hate speech and the use of intemperate language in the 2024 electioneering.

The Board Chairman of the NPC, Rev. Dr Ernest Adu-Gyamfi, that would ensure that the country remained peaceful after this year’s elections so that the citizenry could go about their businesses without difficulties.

Rev. Dr Adu-Gyamfi made the call at the 2024 first quarter meeting with political parties under the Political Party Trust Building Programme in Accra last Wednesday.

However, the NDC believes the National Peace Council was quite dormant when brutalities marred some elections in Ayawaso West Wuogon in 2019 and Techiman South in the Bono East region during the 2020 general elections.

For instance, the National Women Organizer of the NDC, Dr Hannah Bisiw, who was at the NPC meeting chastised two Board over its silence when violence disrupted some elections held under the Akufo-Addo administration.

Reacting to the subject of sticking to peaceful ways of conducting political activities in the country, Chris Doughan took a swipe at the NPC.

He said the NDC “would not sign any peace agreement by the peace council” because it was quiet when it’s voice was needed most.

According to Chris, the NPC is an appendage of the governing NPP, explaining that the Council was vocal under the erstwhile NDC administration but has gone silent under Akufo-Addo.

“By the way. change is coming and the NDC will prosecute perpetrators of the Ayawaso West Wuogon By-election violence.

As for the Peace Council, if it wants peace ahead of the elections, they should first deal with the Ayawaso West Wuogon By-election violence.”

On signing a peace pact, he quizzed, “How can Satan prepare a contract for Jesus to sign?”

” NDC won’t sign any agreement. Peace Council can’t be trusted,” and added, ” Unemployment is a national security threat. So if National Peace Council is concerned about the country’s Peace they should rather tell Akufo-Addo to tackle unemployment.”

 

Source: Myxyzonline.com

Africa

Kenya scraps entry fee for South Africans and other foreign nationals

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Kenya has exempted passport holders from South Africa and six other countries from paying an unpopular entry fee introduced last month.

The government scrapped visa requirements for all foreign passport holders last month.

The move was seen as an attempt to promote Kenya as a tourist destination and to attract business travellers.

But a $30 (£23) entry fee was introduced, including for some visitors who previously did not require visas.

The decision caused a huge backlash, with critics saying that it could lead to countries with which Kenya has visa-waiver agreements introducing a similar fee, making travel more costly and bureaucratic.

Only travellers from the East African Community (EAC) regional bloc were exempt from paying the money.

In addition to South Africa, the exemption has been extended to passport holders from five other African states – Ethiopia, Eritrea, Congo-Brazzaville, Comoros and Mozambique.

San Marino, Europe’s third-smallest nation, is the only other country on the exemption list.

A memorandum from Kenya’s interior ministry and immigration department said the exempted countries had entered “visa abolition agreements or signed bilateral visa waiver agreements” with the East African state.

However, travellers from these countries would still need to get an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) document in advance to enter Kenya, and submit information such as flight details and proof of accommodation.

The ETA is for single entry and is valid for 90 days.

 

Source : BBC

Africa

Malawi Hit by Hackers, Suspends Issuance of Passports

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Malawi’s government has suspended the issuing of passports following a cyber-attack on the immigration service’s computer network.

President Lazarus Chakwera told MPs that the targeting of the department amounted to a “serious national security breach”.

He revealed that the hackers were asking for a ransom.

But the president said the government would not give in to their demands and was working to resolve the problem.

“We are not in the business of appeasing criminals with public money, nor are we in the business of negotiating with those who attack our country,” he said on Wednesday.

Demand for passports is high in Malawi with many young people looking to migrate in search of job opportunities.

Mr Chakwera said he had given the immigration department three weeks within which it should provide a temporary solution and resume the issuing of passports, while waiting to regain control of the system.

He said a long-term solution with additional security safeguards would be developed.

For the past two weeks, Malawi has not been issuing passports for what officials said was “a technical glitch”.

Mr Chakwera only revealed for the first time on Wednesday that the immigration system had been “hacked” without mentioning who the hackers were suspected to be.

No other details have been given about the cyber-attack including the possible implications in terms of personal data security.

Malawians have been demanding answers over the persistent delays in the issuance of the travel document.

This is not the first time that there has been a suspension in recent years.

Last year, the government paused giving out new documents after running out of passport booklets, with an official saying that the problem was being worsened by a shortage of foreign currency.

There have been issues since 2021 when the attorney-general’s office terminated a passport contract with a company that had been offering the service, citing irregularities.

Some frustrated Malawians have in the past faulted the government over the continued backlog of applications amid allegations of corruption.

For now, anyone who does not have a passport or whose passport has expired cannot acquire a new one and therefore cannot travel.

 

Source : BBC

News

Bawumia won’t get even 12% of votes – Solomon Owusu reacts to campaign team

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A Spokesperson for Movement For Change (MFC) Solomon Owusu says he will be disappointed in Ghanaians if the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia secures 12% of national votes in the upcoming general election with the current composition of his campaign team.

The NPP National Executive Committee and National Council meetings held on Monday, February 19, 2024, appointed some individuals to serve as members of the Campaign team for its Presidential candidate.

The members include, Justin Kodua Frimpong (Director, Campaign Operations,) Henry Nana Boakye (Deputy Director, Campaign Operations), Dan Botwe (Chairman, Campaign Chairman and Strategist) with Fred Oware and Nana Akomea as his deputies and
Fred Opare Ansah as Campaign Manager among others.

But Solomon Owusu, speaking on Ghana Kasa show on Kasapa 102.5FM Wednesday, expressed confidence that this campaign team cannot deliver victory for the NPP and Dr. Bawumia citing division in the party.

”If the NPP uses this campaign team to secure even 12% of the national votes in the 2024 general elections, I will be shocked and be disappointed in Ghanaians. This campiagn team is already divided and this shows that there’s nothing like unity in the party. Ken Agyapong was Bawumia’s contender in the party’s Presidential primary but none of the people who followed Ken Agyapong was selected as member of the campaign team. Ken Agyapong’s followers have been left out in the campaign team. What the Bawumia people are saying is that the party belongs to us and we’ve taken it.

”The NPP cannot secure 12% of votes in the coming election. Mahama in 2016 with inflation at 15.4% secured 44% and Akufo-Addo -Bawumia government inflation stands at 23.5%. Work out the simple proportion and see the percentage of votes Bawumia will secure come December 7 election. Mahama’s debt to GDP was 57% or so, even that one Ghanaians gave him 44% of votes cast but Akufo-Addo – Bawumia’s debt to GDP is over 70%, how many percentage of votes do you expect Ghanaians to give him,” Solomon Owusu asked?

 

Source: Kasapafmonline.com