All posts by Piesie Okrah

News, Politics

Transformational leaders missing in Ghana – Prof. Frimpong Boateng

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Former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng has raised concerns over how corruption is gaining grounds in the country at a faster pace.

The renowned surgeon who served in the Akufo-Addo administration as a minister said the leadership being witnessed in the country is marred with opulence and deep rooted corruption stemming from the love for money.

In an interview on TV XYZ, Prof. Frimpong Boateng told host of Politics and Beyond, Emmanuel Wilson Jnr that the lack of quality leadership was the reason development has slowed.

For instance, he mentioned that the National Development Planning Commission has some best brains who can support the government to fast track the country’s progress but has sadly been abandoned while politicians pursue their own agenda, veering off from the right track.

To him, the current crop of politicians are selfish and self-seeking personalities who land in public offices to milk the country dry without accounting to the people.

“We need people who love this nation; [People] who will sacrifice for the good of this nation; [People] who will not make money to themselves and for their friends,” Prof. Frimpong Boateng stated while advising the youth to be patriotic.

He continued, “If you want transformational leaders, they are difficult to see on the landscape now. But I’m sure there are among the young people of this nation, when they get the proper guidance, they will be able to do a lot of good things for the good people of this country.”

To develop faster, he said the country leadership must take technology seriously and get young people to drive the country into wealth with the help of technology and innovation.

 

Source: Myxyzonline.com

Foreign, News

Canada sets two-year cap on foreign students

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Canada has said it will cap the number of foreign students admitted to the country for two years in an attempt to address pressure on housing and healthcare in the country.

The cap will result in a decrease of 35% in approved study permits.

Over 800,000 foreign students were in Canada in 2022, up from 214,000 a decade earlier.

The new measures are also meant to ensure the “integrity” of the system, officials said.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced the cap on Monday, saying that Canada aims to approve around 360,000 undergraduate study permits this year.

Each province and territory will be allotted a portion of that total, determined by population and current student intake.

Provinces will then decide how to distribute these permits across their universities and colleges.

The cap will only apply to students at a diploma or undergraduate programme, and will not affect students applying for study permit renewals.

As part of the change, the government will also no longer – as of September – grant work permits for students graduating from colleges that operate under a public-private partnership model, which is most commonly found in the province of Ontario.

“It’s unacceptable that some private institutions have taken advantage of international students by operating under-resourced campuses, lacking supports for students and charging high tuition fees, all while significantly increasing their intake of international students,” Mr Miller said.

He said the new measures are “not against individual international students” but are meant to ensure future students receive a “quality of education that they signed up for”.

The announcement also comes as the Trudeau government faces growing pressure to address an increasingly unaffordable housing market.

Home prices in Canada now average C$750,000 ($550,000;£435,000) and rent for Canadians has risen 22% in the last two years.

Some economists have linked housing unaffordability to a spike in immigration, as home construction has not kept up with Canada’s unprecedented population growth.

In 2022, the country grew by over a million people in the span of one year for the first time ever – a growth largely driven by newcomers.

Last year Canada’s population hit a record of 40 million people.

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation – a national housing agency – estimates that the country needs 3.5 million more housing units by 2030 to restore affordability.

While population growth is part of the problem, experts have pointed to other pressures driving down the number of housing starts, including high interest rates that make homes less affordable.

The cost of building materials also remains elevated due to inflation and supply chain disruptions from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The cap represents a significant shift in policy for Canada, which has historically relied on open immigration to fill job vacancies and address its rapidly-aging workforce.

Mr Miller had previously hinted at reducing the number of international students admitted to Canada, drawing concern from some Canadian universities.

In response to Monday’s announcement, Universities Canada, which represents post-secondary institutions across the country, said it welcomed that the cap is not affecting post-graduate students, but is concerned that it will “add stress on an already-stressed system”.

The organisation also said it worries that some of the measures will deter students from coming to Canada, driving them to study elsewhere instead.

Last week, president of McMaster University in Hamilton, just outside of Toronto, said a cap would mean “a loss” for his institution.

“If we lost our international students, we would not be as rich from a learning-environment perspective,” David Farrar told public broadcaster CBC in an interview.

He added that tuition paid by international students helps offset costs for some domestic students, as universities struggle with limited government funding and budgets.

A cap on international students, he said, would mean the university will have to cut the number of domestic students it admits.

 

Source: BBC

News

Parliament must intervene in Bawku conflict – Binduri MP

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Abdulai Abanga, the Member of Parliament for Binduri, has called on Parliament to intervene and bring lasting peace to troubled Bawku.

Unknown gunmen fired into a group of people at the community centre on Wednesday, January 17, resulting in the death of two persons, while four others were injured.

Five persons were also ambushed and killed by unknown gunmen on their way from Bawku to Binduri on Monday, January 22.

Abdulai Abanga proposed in an interview on Citi News that Parliament and other relevant stakeholders act as mediators to ensure peace prevails.

Abdulai Abanga, MP for Binduri

He also called on residents to make conscious efforts to restore calm so that developmental projects in the area can continue and be completed.

“What Parliament can do for now to help the situation is to assist with mediation because the situation we have is that people are trying to retaliate against others for killing their relatives. For me, that will never end the conflict. So, we need the leadership of Parliament and well-meaning Ghanaians to come and talk to the young ones to unite because, if you look at the nature of the area, we are all related in one way or another.

“We need to understand that it is important for us to live in peace so that we can enjoy development because we have serious developmental issues over here. If we don’t stop it, funds will either be diverted to providing security, or even contractors and other people will withdraw from the area. We will suffer in the end because we have a lot of challenges.

 

Source: Citinewsroom.com

Politics, Topstory

Drifting away from Nkrumah’s principles cause of Ghana’s woes – Julius Malema

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Prominent South African politician, Julius Malema has attributed Ghana’s developmental challenges to a departure from Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s values and an excessive focus on privatizing key state assets.

By extension, he indicated that Africa’s woes can also be attributed to the refusal of African leaders to follow the footsteps of Dr Nkrumahy, Ghana’s first president.

Malema, the founder and leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) made this known in an interview with Joy News stated that a corruption-free, state-led development approach, with less emphasis on privatization, is the solution to the continent’s woes.

“Well if you drift away from Nkrumah’s principles of state-led development and you prioritise privatization of strategic sectors of the economy, you’ll never address the issue of unemployment because the interest of business is to maximize on profit and every time you privatise something strategic, the first victims of privatization is the workers.

“They remove the workers in order to maximize on profit. So if we have a state-led corrupt-free development then you’re guaranteed to absorb as many people as possible because that role of the state is not to make profit, it’s to generate sufficient resources to finance its social responsibility programmes,”Malema stated.

Julius Malema is in Ghana on the invitation of the Arise Ghana Youth Movement to partake in a national dialogue on Pan-Africanism.

Organizers say the event will provide the youth of Ghana with a chance to connect with his activism and commitment to a liberated and united Africa.

Speaking concerning the event, Malema noted that the dialogue is important to bring forward issues of Pan-Africanism and economic emancipation as countries on the continent struggle to find their footing in a tensely polarized world.

“We are happy to be here because Ghana is our home and always showed us the way. So we’re not here necessarily to educate anyone, we are here to learn from each other that’s why it is called a dialogue, and the central message will be Pan-Africanism and economic emancipation of the length of Africa not only in Ghana.

“The democracy in Ghana is very old compared to other democracies on the continent but the means of production are still old by those who previously colonized us. And how do we go beyond that because political freedom without economic emancipation is meaningless and this type of engagement seeks to ensure that the people of the continent are aware that if we stand divided, only the imperialist and colonial forces stand to benefit. The unity of Africa is a threat to the enemies of Africa,” he said.

Source: Myjoyonline.com

News

NAM1 pulled gun on us – Witness who invested GH¢760k in Menzgold tells court

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The fifth prosecution witness in the trial of Nana Appiah Mensah, aka NAM1, has testified that after investing GH¢760,000 in Menzgold, the accused assaulted her when she demanded her returns.

Priscilla Adu-Boateng, a trader and a single mother with four children, alleged that on January 8, 2020, NAM 1 pulled a gun when she went to his house at Trassaco in Accra with other aggrieved customers to demand for their monies.

“I am a single mother with four children, and these investments were made in furtherance of their education.

“My business is not thriving, and I am in the process of selling my house to make ends meet”, she said in her witness statement, which has been adopted by the court presided over by Justice Ernest Owusu-Dapaa, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as an additional High Court judge,

She was led by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa.

The witness added that the advertising billboard of Menzgold attracted her to Invest.

Aside from that, she said an executive of Menzgold also persuaded her for about a year before she finally decided to invest in the business.

Following the adoption of the witness statement, Counsel for the accused Kwame B. Akufo, did not cross-examine the witness.

Not guilty

NAM1 and two of his companies — Menzgold Ghana Limited and Brew Marketing Consult Ghana Limited — have been charged with 39 counts of selling gold without a licence, operating a deposit-taking business without a licence, inducement to invest, defrauding by false pretence, fraudulent breach of trust and money laundering.

The allegations leveled against them relate to defrauding their customers of various sums of money between 2016 and 2018, totaling GH¢340,835,650.

NAM1 has pleaded not guilty to all the charges and is on bail of GH¢500 million with four sureties.

Prosecution’s facts

According to the prosecution, between 2017 and 2018, NAM1 and Menzgold invited members of the public to purchase gold from Brew Marketing Consult Ghana Limited and to deposit same with Menzgold.

The prosecution said in various forms of invitations, the accused persons representing the two companies as deposit-taking businesses, invited the members of the public to deposit purchased gold with Menzgold in return for profits ranging from seven to 10 per cent.

The prosecution said in response to this invitation, over 16,000 members of the public deposited huge sums of money with the expectation that they were dealing with an authorised deposit-taking business, which would guarantee them the returns as advertised by the accused persons.

Menzgold Ghana Limited and Brew Marketing Consult Ghana Limited, the prosecution said, continued with their operations despite several engagements and warning notices issued by the relevant agencies.

“Meanwhile, members of the public started facing challenges, either with delayed payments or reduced dividends; a number of cheques issued by NAM1 and Menzgold were also dishonoured,” the prosecution said.

On September 7, 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) directed Menzgold to suspend its business for operating without a licence.

Between November 2016 and March 2019, the prosecution said, many customers of the accused entities petitioned the police, complaining that they had invested huge sums of money with the accused, but were unable to realise their investments despite persistent efforts.

“Investigations revealed that the accused persons, under false pretences, took a total sum of GH¢340,835,650 from their customers, which these customers have not recovered.

“Investigations further disclosed that between 2017 and 2018, the accused persons transferred huge sums of depositors’ funds from Menzgold Ghana Company Ltd and Brew Marketing Consult Ltd to Zylofon Media, a company related to NAM1,” the prosecution said.

It added that huge sums of money were also withdrawn by NAM1 or transferred into his bank account for his personal use.

“Investigations have established that the money fraudulently obtained from depositors and dishonestly appropriated by the accused persons remained unpaid as Menzgold Ghana Company Ltd’s licence was revoked,” the prosecution stated.

 

Source: Daily Graphic

Crime, News

Driver jailed 8 years for attempted kidnapping

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An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a driver to eight years imprisonment in hard labour for attempting to kidnap a father and daughter for ransom.

Godfred Ayittey denied conspiring with Wang Liang in preparation to kidnap the two for ransom, but after trial, he was found culpable.

Wang is currently at large.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Emmanuel Nyamekye earlier told the court, presided over by Mrs Afia Owusua Appiah, that on August 3, 2022, one Richard Asomaning, a witness in the case reported to Tema Police that Ayittey recruited him on phone to engage in kidnapping.

The prosecution said Asomaning was also tasked to recruit a competent driver for them to undertake such an operation for a ransom.

DSP Nyamekye said the witness feigned interest in the act and forwarded copies of his driver’s license and Ghana card as well as that of one Peter Ofoe Agbovie, a friend to the first witness, who he had just recruited for the convict.

The witnesses then requested a meeting with the convict to know, who their victim or victims were, he told the court.

The prosecution said the convict mentioned the victims to the witnesses as Mr Joseph K. Horgle, the owner of J. K. Horgle Transport and Company Limited at Kpone and his daughter Elinam, who is also the Deputy Managing Director of the same company.

Ayittey never met the witnesses in person, he only communicated with them on the phone.

DSP Nyamekye said Tema Police sought the assistance of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) to help investigate the case, thus, witnesses were interviewed at the NIB.

It emerged that the witnesses had opened communication with the convict and a WhatsApp group platform was created by the convict for the operation.

The court heard that Ayittey, the convict, provided fifty Ghana cedis (GH₵50.00) to Asomaning to commence surveillance on either of the victims. Initial photographs of the company’s premises were taken and sent to the convict.

Agbovie, DSP Nyamekye said was asked by the convict to rent a vehicle, while he (the convict) procured guns for the operation.

The prosecution said the convict was tracked and arrested on August 09, 2022. He admitted to the offence and indicated that one Wang, a Chinese he worked with at DADA Foods engineered the kidnapping.

Investigations revealed that the convict had worked at the intended victim’s Company from 2017 to 2018 as a driver and knew the former boss had the financial muscle to pay any ransom using Cryptocurrency to Wang LIANG’s account in China to avoid detection.

He said Asomaning had earlier posted his particulars, including his phone number on Jiji online seeking a job as a driver.

The accused person picked the first witness’ phone number from the site and contacted him for the job as a driver and when he agreed, he changed the topic from employment to kidnapping.

DSP Nyamekye said Ayittey also asked Asomaning to use the same conduit to recruit another person.

After investigation, Ayittey was charged with the offence.

 

Source: Myjoyonline.com

News, Politics

Justin Kodua leads NPP delegation to Manhyia over Wontumi’s comments against Asantehene

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The general secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, is leading some party officials to the Manhyia Palace in response to recent alleged disparaging comments made by the party’s Ashanti Regional Chairman, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, against the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

Antwi Boasiako popularly known as Chairman Wontumi allegedly challenged the authority of the Asante king after the vetting of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh.

He allegedly told Otumfuo’s Brempon Nana Kwaku Duah, that ”I have built my own kingdom; I have my own police and military; and I will speak my mind to Otumfuo if I disagree on an issue with him.”

Addressing the press in Kumasi on Monday, January 22, Mr Frimpong Kodua said “Our history has been shaped and supported by Asanteman and the good people of the Ashanti region and as a party, we hold extreme, absolute, and undiluted respect for Asanteman, and most especially for our king and Nananom and so I will want to caution the rank and file of our party to desist from making any sensitive comments regarding Nananom and his majesty and the party.

“The leadership of the party is on the ground and knows what to do to make sure that the respect for our revered king is maintained and we caution that no one has the right to go on radio to make any sensitive comments and that is the position of the party.”

 

Source: Citinewsroom.com

News, Politics

Alfred Kotey Ashie elected NDC Parliamentary candidate for Odododiodioo

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Alfred Nii Kotey Ashie has been elected the National Democratic Congress’ Parliamentary Candidate for the Odododiodioo constituency ahead of the 2024 General Elections.

He polled 1209 votes in Sunday’s election while his contender, Emmanuel Nii Okai Laryea secured 952 votes of the total votes of 2161.

Over 2100 NDC delegates from the Odododiodioo constituency in the Greater Accra Region took part in the election which was put on hold due to an injunction filed by disqualified parliamentary aspirant, Michael Nii Yarboi Anan.

Sunday’s election went ahead after the dismissal of the interlocutory injunction application filed by Mr Yarboi Anan.

Speaking to delegates after his victory, Mr Kotey Ashie promised to help unite the party ahead of the December polls.

Background

The Functional Executive Committee of the NDC, in November 2023, disqualified Michael Nii Yarboi Annan from contesting in the parliamentary election in the Odododiodioo Constituency.

The NDC, in a report issued last year, explained that findings made by the special committee established by the Functional Executive Committee of the party justified the disqualification of Mr. Annan from contesting the party’s parliamentary primary in the Odododiodoo Constituency.

According to the party, considering the evidence presented, the special committee was unable to endorse Mr Annan’s qualification to contest the parliamentary primaries in the Odododiodoo constituency based on Article 41(8)(b) of the NDC Constitution, which stipulates that, “a member must be an active member of the party at the constituency level for the four years immediately preceding the date of filing nominations.”

The party postponed the primary in the Odododiodioo constituency indefinitely due to a court injunction obtained by the disqualified candidate.

But following the dismissal of the court, the party now has given clearance for the primary to come off.

 

Source: Citinewsroom.com

 

News, Topstory

John Mahama reacts to death of 3 in Bawku

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Former President John Mahama says he is saddened by the news of the death of three people in Bawku amid a rise in tensions.

This comes after the Ghana Armed Forces revealed that the men engaged in a gunfight with their troops leading to the death of the three while one other escaped.

In a statement on Facebook, the former President acknowledged the challenges the military faces while trying to secure peace in Bawku.

However, he believes that “the military must work hand in hand with the police to provide safety and security in the Bawku municipality and across the nation.”

“As a former Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, I urge the military personnel to remember their duty to protect the people and uphold the peace,” he added.

John Mahama also called on residents in Bawku to endeavour to promote and consolidate peace to enable the positive development of the municipality of Bawku.

This comes after the GAF refuted claims by Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, that they shot and killed innocent men.

The MP, on Newsfile, said that “eyewitnesses saw everything that happened. These boys were not exchanging fire with anybody; they were actually apprehended. They were sitting [when the soldiers approached]; one ran away, but the others were sitting because they had done nothing wrong.”

“They picked them up; the assemblyman came out and pleaded for them to release the boys. They refused, and ultimately they shot the boys,” he said.

But, in a press release, they admitted to their officers shooting three men but it was in self-defence after they were shot at.

The GAF noted that “troops retrieved one AK-47 rifle loaded with 16 rounds of 7.62 x 39 mm ammunition. Ghana Police team arrived at the location subsequently to convey the deceased assailants to the morgue.”

“The AK-47 rifle with serial number 81-1/13024074 inspected by Bawku Divisional Police personnel is currently in their own custody,” parts of the statement read.

The GAF cautioned against directly engaging the military in a gunfight. They stated that it could result in fatal consequences.

“Troops will spare no opportunity to defend themselves as well as protect residents of Bawku,” they added.

 

Source: Myjoyonline.com

News

Decision to reorganize PTA unnecessary; reverse it – Apaak to GES

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The Deputy Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament, Dr. Clement Apaak, has described as unnecessary the decision of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to reorganize the existing Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA) into Parent Associations (PA).

He has thus urged the Ghana Education Service (GES) to immediately reverse the decision, stressing that PTAs over the years have played significant roles in complementing the government’s efforts to providing quality education in the country.

GES recently announced that it would reorganize PTAs into PAs to address financial and operational challenges associated with providing access to education in schools.

But Dr. Apaak believes the decision to realign parent-teacher associations is “totally unnecessary.”

“The PTAs have and continue to play a very important role in assisting the government in delivering education. You go to many secondary schools across this country, you will see structures that were put up by PTAs,” Dr. Clement Apaak said in an interview with Citi News.

The GES has developed new guidelines for Parent Associations, previously known as Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), in pre-tertiary schools in the country.

The guidelines prohibit teachers from being part of the Association, impose restrictions on teachers collecting fees from students preventing them from writing exams, and stipulate that parents whose wards have completed school must no longer be part of the Association.

The Secretary of the National Council of the Parents Teachers Association in Ghana, Gapson Kofi Raphael, has also expressed dismay at the Ghana Education Service over its guidelines on PTAs.

He described the actions by the GES as unlawful and illegal.

 

Source: Myxyzonline.com

 

News

Water crisis: Accra’s population has outgrown our capacity – GWCL

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The Managing Director of the Ghana Water Company Limited, (GWCL) Ing. Dr. Clifford Braimah, has stated that the population of Accra has outgrown the capacity of the water company.

Residents in various parts of Accra, including Adenta, Kasoa, Weija, and Apaapa in La, have voiced concerns about the irregular water supply affecting their communities.

This situation, the residents claim has adversely impacted their daily lives, forcing some to resort to purchasing water from tankers at exorbitant prices.

Complaints from residents suggest that the Ghana Water Company Limited failed to communicate plans for temporary water supply cuts in specific communities, with some reporting an absence of water for nearly a year.

Addressing the issue of inconsistent water on Monday, January 22, Ing. Braimah acknowledged the need for the GWCL to upgrade its machinery to meet the increasing demands of Accra’s residents.

“Already in Accra, the volume of water we produce, the population has outgrown it, and we are looking at putting up a new system at Kpone to boost our production but resource constraint has been the problem, Since 2017, 2018, we have been working and we have not settled on finances.

“So already if you have a limited volume of water coming into the system, and your population is big, you have to block them and supply them according to the demands of the people but you cannot give everybody [water] at the same times otherwise some will not get. And so we have been limited for a very long time.”

Ing. Braimah, however, acknowledged that some complaints were related to localized faults, which, when reported to the nearest GWCL office, could be addressed promptly.

 

Source: Citinewsroom.com

News

Immigration Officer remanded over death of alleged smuggler

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An Immigration Officer stationed at the Holuta-Klave Border in the Ho West District has been remanded into prison custody by the Ho Magistrate Court over the killing of a 25-year-old man.

The officer, Isaac Oppong, is believed to have involved himself in the killing of the motor-rider known as Christian Dake who allegedly smuggles cooking oil through an unauthorized route into the country.

The court heard that the officer instructed the deceased to stop, but he sped off, leading to a chase.

The prosecution, presented by Sergeant Otibi Gyan, stated that during the arrest, a struggle ensued, resulting in the suspect’s firearm accidentally discharging. The deceased was pronounced dead at the Ho Teaching Hospital.

Despite a plea from the suspect’s lawyer to have him remanded at the Immigration Headquarters in Accra, the court denied the request, citing the need for a smooth investigation.

The case has been adjourned to March 19, 2024, and the suspect remains in prison custody in Ho.

The family of the deceased expressed dissatisfaction with Immigration’s handling of the case.

 

Source: Myxyzonline.com