Category Archives: News

News, Topstory

We cannot bless same-sex marriage’ – Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference

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The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has served notice Catholic priests are not authorized and will not bless same-sex marriages.

The leadership of the Church in Ghana has been compelled to react following the growing anxiety among congregants over recent comments on the rights of gays and lesbians.

In a press statement dated December 21, 2023, the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference described as misinformation, an interpretation of the document, published on December 18, 2023, from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith suggesting that Pope Francis has granted formal permission for Roman Catholic priests to perform blessings for same-sex unions.

“We, the members of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, have seen the need to issue this statement in the wake of the publication on 18 December 2023 of a document from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith entitled “Fiducia Supplicans” (Supplicating Trust: On the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings”).

“Following its publication, some TV and radio news items as well as posts on the social media have falsely stated that Pope Francis has formally given Roman Catholic priests the permission to bless same-sex marriages.

“This publication has caused a lot of consternation among many people, Catholics and non-Catholics alike. We would like to make the following points,” part of the statement said.

The statement signed by Most Rev. Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Catholic Bishop of Sunyani and President, Ghana Catholic Bishops’ conference continued “Firstly, the Declaration does not give Catholic priests the permission to bless same-sex marriages. This is clear from the following statements in the Declaration.

“In the introductory paragraph, the document says, ‘this Declaration remains firm on the traditional doctrine of the Church about marriage, not allowing any type of liturgical rite or blessing similar to a liturgical rite that can create confusion’.

“The Declaration also defines marriage as the “exclusive, stable, and indissoluble union between a man and a woman, naturally open to the generation of children” (par. 4). It adds that it is only in the context of marriage “that sexual relations find their natural, proper, and fully human meaning”.

The Bishops’ Conference emphasizes that the prayers and blessings offered to individuals, including those in same-sex relationships, are intended to guide them toward conversion rather than legitimizing their lifestyle.

Most Reverend Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, Catholic Bishop of Sunyani and President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, reaffirms in the statement that priests cannot bless same-sex unions or marriages.

“The blessing which the Declaration says could be given to everyone refers to prayers that people may request for. For those in the state of sin, the prayers are meant to lead them to conversion.

“Therefore, the prayers for persons in same-sex relationships are not intended to legitimize their way of life, but to lead them on the path of conversion (cf. paragraphs 38, 42-45).
“In conclusion, we wish to reiterate that priests cannot bless same-sex unions or marriages.”

Find below full statement

 

News, Politics, Topstory

WAEC struggling to pay examiners and invigilators because of Government’s indebtedness – Minority

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The minority has criticised the Akufo-Addo government for failing to settle its indebtedness to the West African Examination Council (WAEC) after conducting exams for the country’s examination candidates.

The Minority Spokesperson on Education, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, who disclosed this said  the situation is having a heavy toll on the operations WAEC.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament, the legislator indicated that WAEC has still not been able to pay invigilators, examiners and a host of other service providers after releasing both the BECE and WASSCE results.

He stated that prior meetings held with the Finance Ministry, the Education Ministry and WAEC revealed that the Finance Ministry had released funds to the Education Ministry to settle the debt but added that the funds have not hit the accounts of the organisation.

He has since appealed to the Education Ministry to clear the debt as soon as possible following the approval of GH₵29.5 billion for the Ministry to spend in 2024.

“But interestingly, the Ministry of Finance indicated that they do not owe WAEC. That the sum of GH₵129,839,720 WAEC said they owe, the ministry of Finance said they did not owe that and that per their records they have released all monies to the Ministry of Education.

“So the committee has directed that the Minister for Finance or his representative, the Minister for Education and WAEC should meet the committee to resolve the matter. The one who represented the Ministry of Finance at the meeting indicated that for the WASCCE, they made it part of the amount released for the free SHS  so on record they do not owe WAEC any sums of money.

“So we need to meet the Minister of Education, the Minister for Finance and WAEC to resolve the problem immediately,” he said.

Peter Nortsu-Kotoe also revealed Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum has confirmed to the Education Committee of Parliament that a piece of land reserved to build an office for UNESCO in Accra has been sold to a private developer.

“We also realised that UNESCO, that is, United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation is one agency under the Ministry of Education and they’re housed in an obscure corner in the Ministry of Education.

“But unfortunately, the piece of land allocated for their office long time ago, Mr. Speaker, I made it known here the other time when we were debating the budget that the land had been sold. The Deputy Minister for Land and Natural Resources vehemently denied it.

“But at the meeting to discuss the budget we were told by the Minister of Education or he confirmed that the land had been sold and to a private individual, and he’s taking steps to retrieve the land for the Ministry of Education so that UNESCO can make use of that land,” he said.

 

Source: Myxyzonline.com

News

Okaikoi South MP can’t match my projects – NDC’s Ernest Adomako

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The NDC Parliamentary Candidate for the Okaikoi South constituency, Mr. Ernest Adomako, has assured residents of the constituency that he will put them first when they vote for him in the 2024 elections.

Popularly known as Keon, the business executive who was speaking to King Nicholas on ‘Battle Ground’ on Power FM indicated that the people in his constituency had been sidelined for many years despite voting massively for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for the past 28 years.

The NDC candidate who is confident of unseating the NPP MP, Madam Darkoaa Newman, said the legislator is not accessible to the people, stressing that he has to step in on many occasions to tackle some of the communal challenges.

“Even as I haven’t been voted to power, I have been with the people and helped them on countless times,” he said while announcing a Christmas getaway packages for widows in the area on Friday, December 22, 2023.

He will share Christmas gifts for hundreds of widows at the popular Dance Bar at North Kaneshie.

He said despite being in opposition he has supported hundreds of youngsters to enroll in skills training in the area and still receiving requests to help secure sustainable jobs for the youth.

Recently, Keon renovated the K1 school as well as the Kaneshie North Cluster of schools where some roofs had been destroyed by rainstorm for months.

“I hae done a lot that I cannot mention, I have a lot of projects than the sitting MP,” he stated while urging the people to have confidence in him to do more for them.

 

Source: Myxyzonline.com

News, Topstory

Minority demands justification for GH₵1bn budgetary allocation to Presidency

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The Minority caucus in Parliament has launched a scathing critique of the 2024 budget allocations for the Office of the President and the Chief of Staff Secretariat.

Citing a 100% increase in the President’s office budget to over 1 billion cedis and a 277 million cedis allocation for the Chief of Staff’s office, Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson demanded justification for the “exponential increases.”

“The Office of the President, in particular, their budget is being increased by over 100 per cent, from 2023 to 2024 so what exactly are they going to do in 2024, is it the elections, is that the reason they have budgeted so much? The office of the presidency alone, their goods and services alone is 450 million cedis.”

“The budget they have allocated to the Office of the President alone is 1 billion and 93 million Ghana cedis for the year 2024. Mr Speaker, All of us agree that the country is in a crisis and there is a need for us to be careful about how we spend money.”

The Minority also slammed the government’s establishment of Development Authorities like the Coastal Development Authority (CODA) as “a waste of resources” and a “pretext to amass resources for wrongful spending.”

They called for these authorities to be outlawed, arguing they have failed to deliver on their mandates.

Governs Agbodza, the Minority Chief Whip, led the charge against the authorities, stating those entities are nothing but avenues for siphoning funds away from critical areas.

 

Source: Citinewsroom.com

News, Topstory

Parliament approves GH¢786.9 million for Electoral Commission

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Parliament on Wednesday approved the sum of GH¢786.9 million for the services of the Electoral Commission (EC) for the year ending 31st December 2024.

The House further requested the Finance Ministry to deal with the shortfall of GH¢140.7 million so that the processes and the conduct of the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections would not be compromised.

Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, and Chairman of the Special Budget Committee of Parliament, who moved the Motion for the House to approve the budgetary allocation for the EC, said the additional request of GH¢140.7 million was what the Commission had budgeted for and unfortunately the Finance Ministry could only allocate the GH¢786.9 million to it.

“The Commission insists that without the GH¢140.7 million, it will be difficult to conduct timeously and in a proper way, the Presidential and Parliamentary Elections as slated for December 2024.”

This, the Majority Leader said, was why the Special Budget Committee deemed it appropriate and fit to insist that the Commission be provided with the GH¢140.7 million.

He noted that the EC intended to undertake a number of activities and procured equipment for the successful conduct of the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.

He said significant among these was the procurement of additional BVDs and BVR to enable the Commission to increase the number of polling stations for a smooth poll, recruitment and training of electoral officers, replacement of exited staff, upgrade of data centre and the purchase of ICT equipment.

He said the Commission in view of the critical need for these expenditure items to effectively implement its planned programmes and activities, proposed a Budgetary request of a sum of GH¢932.03 million for the 2024 financial year.

Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said the Committee observed that the Finance Ministry, however, had capped the allocation to a total amount of GH¢786.9 million resulting in a budget shortfall of GH¢140.7 million.

“Again, the Commission further informed that the shortfall would compel the Commission to reduce its critical activities necessary for a successful conduct of the 2024 general elections and therefore, appeals to the Committee to intervene to ensure that the proposed budgetary amount is approved and released on time to enable the Commission to undertake these planned programmes as scheduled,” Mr Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu said.

“The Committee is of the view that the activities of the Electoral Commission are time-bound and extremely critical to the stability of the country and therefore, any impediment in the way of the Commission may be costly to the country.”

Mrs Patricia Appiagyei, Member of the Special Budget Committee/Chairperson of Parliament’s Committee on Government Assurance and New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Asokwa, who seconded the Motion, said one of the issues, which the Special Budget Committee was exposed to was the use of the indelible ink, which reared its head during the December 19th, 2023, District Level Elections, that was presented to the voters.

“Mr Speaker, we don’t know whether it is because of the harmattan or any other thing. We also noted, as we have rightly shown concern to the Commissioner or the Chair of the Electoral Commission, that the ink which we have been told that it was produced in Ghana is one that can easily be rubbed of.

“We were rightly informed that the ink is never produced in Ghana, and at the same time we were also educated that what they have done is to even get rid of the indelible ink, currently nobody uses the indelible ink, and it was rightly proven yesterday. But we have shown serious concern about the use of that indelible ink.”

Mrs Appiagyei said it was important that the House urges the Ministry of Finance to ensure that the EC was adequately equipped to organise credible elections in 2024.

Mr Kofi Iddie Adams, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Buem, reiterated the need for the EC to maintain the use of indelible ink in marking voters who had exercised their franchise.

Mr Ahmed Ibrahim, Deputy Minority Whip and NDC MP for Banda urged the House to see to it that the Finance Ministry timeously releases the budgetary allocations to the EC.

Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Majority Chief Whip and NPP MP for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, also underscored the need for the House to work together to ensure that funds were made adequately available to the electoral body to perform its mandate.

 

Source: GNA

News

Burial of the late Lt General JH Smith

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The burial service for the late Lieutenant General Joseph Henry Smith, will take place at the Al-Azziz Mosque at Burma Camp, Accra on Saturday, 23rd December, 2023.

Lt General Smith died on Tuesday 19th December 2023, after a short illness.

He will be given a full Military burial and in accordance with Muslim tradition.

Filing past will commence at 0700hrs at the Al-Azziz Mosque until 0845hrs when religious service will commence.

All sympathisers and well-wishers should please be seated by 0800hrs.

End of Announcement

Issued on behalf of family
by Ambassador Victor Smith

News

Ghana Gas Staff join mounting pressure on ECG to pay outstanding debts

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The Senior Staff Association of Ghana Gas Company Limited has served notice of possible power outages in the coming days if the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) does not pay outstanding debts.

According to a statement signed by its Chairman, Richmond Kabiru Alamu on Wednesday, December 20, the high level of indebtedness has “far-reaching’ repurcussions which could potentially disrupt the delicate balance within the energy sector”.

Ghana Gas is therefore urging the power distributing company to make immediate payment due, particularly, to Ghana Gas.
“The inability to settle financial obligations not only hampers Ghana Gas’s ability to maintain infrastructure and operations but also reverberates through the entire energy supply chain, affecting stakeholders and service providers alike.”

The Senior Staff Association of Ghana Gas Company Limited further stated that “the energy sector, a vital component of Ghana’s economic growth, is now at risk of disruption,”.

“Despite these directives, ECG’s non-compliance persists, leading to a situation where critical entities like Ghana Gas are left in financial limbo, struggling to fulfill their obligations and maintain operational efficiency.”

It explained that the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which is helping Ghana to resuscitate its sunken economy, directed timely payments to state-owned enterprises as part of international best practice.

“ President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia also made a similar call” the statement added.

The statement later insisted: “Adherence to IMF conditionality and presidential directives is crucial for maintaining financial stability and ensuring the seamless functioning of critical entities within the energy sector.
“The government and relevant authorities must address this issue promptly to mitigate the potential economic fallout and uphold Ghana’s reputation as a responsible and stable investment destination.”
DONATION OF MOTORBIKES
The heavily indebted Electricity Company of Ghana has come under fire for what critics and stakeholders in the sector describe as misplaced priority after the recent donation of motorbikes to the Ghana Police Service.
The 200 motorbikes presented to the Police Adminsitration last Monday, 11 December, 2023, is the first batch of 1,000 motorbikes to be presented according to the ECG Board Chairman, Keli Gadzekpo .
It will be recalled that on 15th December, 2023, the workers union of Ghana Grid Company, GRIDCo also issued threats to plunge the nation into ‘dumsor’ this Christmas if the financial status of the company is not improved with
“The main cause of the poor cash flow situation is because the Cash Waterfall Mechanism which is used as the mode of payment to the industry players within the sector is not working and is suspected to have been discontinued,” they stated.

News, Politics

Decision to force party chairperson, other leaders out of office is unconstitutional – CPP

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The Council of Elders of the Convention Peoples Party, (CPP) has declared the decision to force out party leaders, including the Chairperson and General Secretary, as unconstitutional.

A statement signed by the Chairman of the Council of Elders, Felix Amoah, condemned the move, revoked the so supposed decision by the National Executive Council, and described as unconstitutional the establishment of an Interim Council.

The CPP re-affirmed Article 68 of the party’s constitution, and its resolve to restore calm after the so-called vote of no confidence that led to the removal of key elected officers, including Chairperson, Nana Akosua Frimpongmaa Sarpong Kumankumah, and General Secretary, Nana Yaa Jantuah, who has since announced her resignation from the party.

Part of the statement read… “The council of elders have also become aware of the involvement of its former secretary, comrade Subiri Isah in a fresh uncalled for legal action against the chairperson and leaders of the party, supposed to have been triggered by the party, to force her to resign her position unaccountably. Comrade Isah is therefore urged to immediately withdraw this unnecessary latest suit from court.

It added .. “In view of this situation, the chairperson and leader is hereby urged to convene a central committee meeting to take quick remedial action pursuant to stemming the further deterioration of the fortunes of the party,” the statement added.

 

The council accused the 2020 flagbearer of the party, Ivor Kobina Greenstreet, and others of being behind the internal discord.

“The council’s aim is to restore stability of the party as a prerequisite for the forward march of the CPP. Given the above, the supposed decision by some members of NEC to set up the Interim Council after all business of the NEC is unconstitutional and is hereby revoked. The attempts to force the current Chairperson and leader of office is also unconstitutional,” part of the statement read.
The Council of Elders expressed awareness of legal actions initiated against the Chairperson and leaders by former secretary Subiri Isah.

The statement urged Isah to withdraw the ‘uncalled-for’ legal action, emphasizing the need for internal resolution to prevent further deterioration of the party’s fortunes.

The power play within the party was triggered by a petition presented at the National Executive Council (NEC) during a meeting in Kumasi on Tuesday, December 5, 2023.

The petition, submitted by CPP members from various parts of the country, urged the NEC to compel all national executives of the Nkrumahist party to either voluntarily resign or face removal over allegations of incompetence.

This resulted in a vote of no confidence in all national executives, leading to significant tension during the meeting.

News

Night motorbike visibility and patrols this Xmas launched

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The Ghana Police Service has launched a ‘Night Motorbike Visibility’ initiative in the nation’s capital, Accra to maintain law and order during the Christmas and New Year festivities.

The exercise, backed by enhanced Community policing, targets crime prone areas and major highway intersections, according to the Service, and this will be replicated in other regional capitals and major towns.

The Police Administration, which has in recent times been equipped with a fleet of vehicles and motorbikes has stepped up day and night patrols nationwide as part of crime prevention measures.

 

Last week, the Police took delivery of 200 motorbikes donated by the Electricity Company of Ghana to enhance operations. This forms part of a consignment of 1,000 motorbikes pledged.

You will recall that in August 2021, the Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, launched the Horse Patrol operations at the National Joint Operations Headquarters-Accra.’

The patrol, is part of the Ghana Police Service’s crime prevention and detection, which will provide security in a friendly and interactive manner’ he said at the launch.

He said their deployment is to complement other interventions such as Community Foot Patrol, Visibility Patrol, and the Motorcycle Traffic Management and Mobility Teams especially in Tema and Accra.

News, Politics, Topstory

Mahama promises to increase DACF from 5% to 7% if he wins 2024 polls

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The flagbearer of the opposition NDC,  former President John Mahama, has promised to increase the district assembly common fund (DACF) from the current 5% to 7% if he wins the 2024 elections.

Mr. Mahama made the revelation after casting his vote in today’s district assembly elections in his hometown, Bole.

The former president explained that it was important to increase the DACF to help accelerate rural development in his government.

“If God smiles on us, and we win the 2024 elections, we are going to take decentralization seriously, the rest of the ministries seriously, and the rest of the MMDAs that are still centralized. We are going to complete the decentralization so that we truly hand over power to the people at the local government level. Until we get our decentralization right, Ghana is not going to go anywhere, and so we are going to take it seriously,” he stated.

Mr. Mahama also called on the Electoral Commission of Ghana to take measures to prevent the incidents of malfunctioning equipment and delayed commencement of voting witnessed in the district assembly elections from recurring during the 2024 General elections to cause chaos.

 

Source: Myxyzonline.com

News, Topstory

New Force spokesperson is re-arrested for repatriation

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The Ghana Immigration Service has revoked the residency permit of spokesperson for the New Force, Shalimar Abbuissi, to stay in the country.

The Immigration Service says she is due for repatriation later today.

Shalimar Abuissi who was first seen in the group’s campaign video, was being charged with allegedly obtaining a student residency permit by false declaration.

Earlier today, the state prosecutor dropped all charges against her.

The court also directed that the National Investigations Bureau release Ms. Abuissi’s iPhone 13 Pro that was seized during her arrest since nothing incriminating was found upon thorough check.

However, Ms. Abuissi was rearrested outside the court premises by the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS).

This led to an eruption of chaos between her legal representatives and the Immigration officers who had come to whisk her away.

According to the Immigration Service, her continuous stay in Ghana is illegal, therefore, she is to be deported later today.

Ms. Abuissi’s parents were left shedding tears as their daughter was being transported away in the Immigration Service vehicle.

Ms. Abbiusi’s recent legal battles, per the New Forces’ December 7 press release, raises serious concerns about power abuse, persecution of perceived political opponents, and multiple human rights violations.

 

Source: Myjoyonline.com

News

Siddique Abubakar Suleiman writes: ‘The battle for power: NPP’s strategic silence’

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Introduction

In the aftermath of Dr. Mamudu Bawumia’s election as the flag bearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), a curious phenomenon has emerged. The once vociferous party spokespersons have seemingly gone docile, leaving many to speculate about their intentions and strategies. While some may interpret this silence as a sign of weakness, it is crucial to delve deeper into the potential reasons behind this apparent shift. This article aims to explore the possible implications of the NPP’s subdued propaganda presence and shed light on the strategies that may be at play.

Silencing the Opposition

It is undeniable that the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s communication team has been relentless in their efforts to highlight the weaknesses of Dr. Bawumia.
Our success in flooding the airwaves with criticisms and doubts about his capabilities is commendable.
However, it is essential to recognize that this might be just one aspect of a broader strategy.
By shifting the focus away from attacking Dr. Bawumia directly, the NPP may be diverting attention from their true intentions.

Cooking Up Controversy

The NPP’s sudden silence might be indicative of their involvement in behind-the-scenes activities. Election manipulation techniques, rigging, and disenfranchising voters are just a few possibilities that come to mind. Rather than wasting their energy on public propaganda, the NPP could be using this time to strategize and execute plans that could potentially sway the election outcome in their favor.
The quietness of the party should not be mistaken for complacency; it is a calculated move to maintain an advantage.

Questioning the EC’s Motives

One recent development that raises eyebrows is the proposal to close voting at 3 pm on December 7th. While administrative problems may be cited as the reason for this decision, it is essential to question whether there is more to it than meets the eye. Could this be a deliberate attempt to manipulate the election process? The NDC must remain vigilant and ensure that equal pressure is exerted on the Electoral Commission, security agencies, judiciary, and compromised religious bodies and scholars. By shining a light on potential irregularities, the NDC can safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.

The Fight Is Bigger

While it is tempting to solely focus on attacking Dr. Bawumia, the NDC must remember that the battle for power extends beyond one individual.
By redirecting our efforts towards the broader system, the party can disrupt any plans that our opponents may have.
It is crucial not to underestimate the power of comfort and complacency.
By keeping the opposition on their toes, the NDC can prevent them from strategizing effectively and gaining an advantage in the upcoming elections.

Conclusion-
The NPP’s recent silence in the propaganda market is not a sign of weakness but a calculated move. As they cook up strategies behind closed doors, it is imperative for the NDC party to maintain equal pressure on various institutions that may be compromised.
By questioning the motives of the Electoral Commission, security agencies, judiciary, and religious bodies, the NDC can ensure a fair and transparent electoral process. The fight for power is multifaceted, and the NDC must remain vigilant and proactive to secure victory in the upcoming 2024 elections.

Author: Siddique Abubakar Suleiman
Public Policy Analyst / former NDC parliamentary aspirant for Ayawaso North Constituency

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