100 cedis a month for Cathedral or 88 district hospitals? – A plus throws a challenge
Finance minister Ken Ofori-Atta presented 2021 mid-year budget to the parliament of Ghana on 29th July 2021. At the presentation, the minister made an appeal to Ghanaians to contribute Hundred Ghana Cedis (GHc100) a month towards the building of the National Cathedral.
This has sparked a debate on social media as some people see it as a misplaced priority.
Controversial musician turned politician, Kwame Asare Obeng popularly known as A plus has thrown a challenge to social media users to join in with what they would want Ghanaians to contribute 100 Ghana cedis for as he has chosen a contribution towards the president’s promise to build 88 district hospitals.
Cathedral
A plus wrote on his Facebook page
“I’m also asking for 100 Ghana cedis a month to help build the 88 district hospitals.
Where will your 100 cedis go? Cathedral or hospitals?
To join the challenge click on the hashtag to create a post.
Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia endorses the usage of Bitcoin in Africa
Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia says it is time African governments embrace digital currency (bitcoin) to facilitate trade and enhance other productive sectors of their economies.
He, therefore, lauded the Bank of Ghana’s decision to pilot digital currency later this year towards its nationwide roll-out in the near future, saying that it would give it the needed credibility and legal backing for usage.
Addressing participants at the opening ceremony of the Fifth Ghana International Trade and Finance Conference (GITFiC) in Accra on Tuesday, Dr. Bawumia said, Intra-African trade had created the need to establish a Single Central Payment platform on the African continent where financial system operators could carry out all cross-border payments smoothly.
To that end, the Vice-President believed that the Pan African Payment and Settlement System(PAPSS)- a central payment and collection infrastructure- would allow businesses on the continent to clear and settle transactions in their local currencies without depending on third-party currencies.
He said it would also provide an alternative to the current high-cost and long correspondent banking relationships by facilitating trade and other economic activities across the continent through a single, low-cost, and risk-controlled payment clearing and settlement system.
The event brought together Governors of the Central Banks in Africa, captains of industry, chief executives of financial institutions, and the diplomatic community to share ideas and engage in conversations that would create a conducive environment for boosting economic activities and promote growth.
It was held on the theme: “Facilitating Trade and Trade-Finance in AfCFTA; The Role of the Financial Services Sector”.
Vice-President Bawumia noted that digitisation had become one of the most consequential policies of President Akufo-Addo’s government and pivotal towards increasing economic activities, macroeconomic stability, and growth.
In that vein, a robust and resilient financial system would provide an impetus for productive investments, expand opportunities for jobs and wealth creation.
“As you may recall, in a bid to improve liquidity and strengthen the banking sector, the Bank of Ghana implemented a new prudential regulatory framework.
“The banking sector clean-up was aimed at promoting a financially stable banking sector.
“Concurrently, digitisation has also become one of the most consequential policies of the Nana Akufo-Addo government. When the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic hit and forced many economies into partial and total lockdowns, it reinforced the need to pursue digitization,” Dr Bawumia emphasised.
Bitcoin
He stated that mobile banking was proving to be a more convenient alternative to traditional banking channels as several routine banking and money transactions were now executed through mobile phones and electronic payment systems.
“Indeed, one has to recognise that for the financial services sector to play its role, there must be financial inclusion.
“The implementation of Mobile Money Interoperability in Ghana has shown that more people can be financially included, and this needs to be rolled out across Africa to ensure the growth of the AfCFTA vision,” he added.
To leverage digital technologies and digitized data, he said, the Central Bank had rolled out a couple of systems through its Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GHIPSS).
They include thee-zwich, Gh-Link, Mobile Money Interoperability, and QR Code and making sure that the underlying payment system runs smoothly is the least we should expect of the financial system if we are to realize the vision of continental free trade.
He stressed that since payments were at the heart of the day-to-day operations of a free trade system, negative spillover effects could be serious if something goes wrong.
Therefore in 2019, the Government introduced the Payment Systems and Services Act, 2019 (Act 987), under the supervision of the Bank of Ghana, to consolidate the laws relating to payment systems, payment services, and regulated institutions in the electronic money business.
The advent of this legislation, Dr. Bawumia explained that, had helped deepen financial intermediation and financial inclusion, not only in Ghana but across the continent.
” I am hopeful that the rollout of the Pan – African system will synchronize successfully with the payment systems architecture developed by Central Banks across Africa and bring about a reduction in cost, time variability, and decreased liquidity requirements of commercial banks and central banks settlements.
Bitcoin
“I encourage the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), a partner entity in this conference, to help its members build a solid and resilient productive capacity to benefit from the AfCFTA implementation.
That, he said, would complement the Government’s effort in providing both the required leadership and investments in implementing the continental trade protocols and related action plans.
He expressed the belief that the conference would deepen the conversations on the need for Africa to design its unique models, which would provide an enabling structural transformation of Africa’s economy and thereby, placing Africa on a sustainable long-term growth path.
Actress cum poet Lydia Forson is a no-nonsense lady who will respond in an equal manner to any social media attack.
The award-winning actress responded nastily to a Twitter fan over her reaction to the passage of the LGBT+ bill.“this woman koraa wat be your problem or u no get a man to f*** u well anaa se wahyeda” the fan wrote
“you’re definitely one of those guys with a hole in their mattress.
PANAFEST is alive! Deputy minister Mark Okraku- Mantey assures
Deputy minister of tourism, arts, and culture Hon. Mark Okraku-Mantey has assured us that the annual Pan African Festival is alive and kicking.
Hon. Okraku-Mantey wrote on his Twitter handle just after leading the wreath-laying ceremony at the Dubois Centre, George Padmore Library, and the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park in Accra
“ PANAFEST is alive! On behalf of Hon. Awal Mohammed, I led the 2021 Panafest/Emancipation wreath-laying ceremonies at Dubois Centre, George Padmore Library & Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. Other significant events will be held at Cape Coast, Assin Manso & Assin Praso this week”
On the 14th of June, 2021, A Police Constable who was identified as Constable Emmanuel Osei was shot dead by Armed Robbers after he was attacked in Jamestown while on duty in a Bullion van.
The late Constable Emmanuel Osei
Not only him got attacked, but the Driver of the Bullion Van and an eyewitness.
Constable Osei died at the spot after being shot in the head. His demise really hit the Ghana Police Service hard with how young and vibrant he was in the service.
The final funeral rite of the late Constable Osei is underway at Kasoa. IGP and other dignified people have shown up at the funeral ground.
The Late Constable Emmanuel Osei Laid in State
The Late Constable Emmanuel Osei Goes home to Rest Today.
Our Warmest Condolences to the Family of the Late Constable Emmanuel Osei.. RIPP….
Photos below;
laid in state
Parent of the late Constable Emmanuel Osei mourning
Also, Personals from the Ghana Police Service attended in their numbers to bid farewell to their Colleague, late Constable Emmanuel Osei. They bid farewell in their own style.
Information hiting the doors of Dikodre.com speaks out thar, The Deputy Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kofi Agyepong, has been appointed Deputy Director of Communications at the Jubilee House, the seat of the country’s Presidency.
Kofi Agyepong as Deputy Director of Communications at the Jubilee House
According to information, Jefferson Sackey, who is also currently a member of the Communications Directorate at the Jubilee House has also been elevated to serve as a Deputy Director of Communications at the Office of the President.
Mr. Agyepong and Mr. Sackey will both serve in the role previously occupied by Fatimatu Abubakar, who has now been appointed the Deputy Minister for Information.
Kofi Agyepong (left) and Jefferson Sackey (right), the two newly appointment Deputy Directors of Communication at the Presidency
The two newly appointed Deputy Directors of Communication at the Presidency are expected to work with Eugene Arhin, the Director of Communications, to spearhead information flow from the Office of the President.
The Eastern Regional Manager of Glo Ghana has been arrested for allegedly defiling a 14-year-old Junior High School student in Koforidua.
The accused, Awoseni Akinyemi, 30, a Nigerian, allegedly defiled the JHS2 student three times in his house at Abrewa-Nkwata, a suburb of Koforidua, and gave her contraceptive each time he had sex with her.
The suspect married with children in Nigeria was put before Koforidua Circuit Court “B” Monday, July 19, 2021.
The Prosecuting Officer Chief Inspector Bernard Annor told the court that the victim stays with the mother in Koforidua while the father works as a Manager of a Fuel Station in Tema.
He said on July 9, 2021, the father of the victim based upon a tip-off that a man has been picking the daughter with his private car almost every day to an unknown destination after school, came to Koforidua quietly to survey.
On the day, the accused did not show up. however, the father searched the school bag of the victim where he retrieved tablets of ‘Lydia emergency contraceptive’.
The alleged victim confided in the father when interrogated that, in June 2021, the accused met her at koforidua -Asokore and told her she was beautiful and that he wanted her to become his friend. She said in the same month, the accused invited her to his House at Abrewa -Nkwanta, a suburb of Koforidua on three occasions where he had unprotected sexual intercourse with her on each time she visited.
The alleged victim said the accused bought her Lydia Contraceptive anytime he had sexual intercourse with her. The father of the victim lodged a formal complaint at the Eastern Regional Office of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVSSU) where a medical report form was issued to the alleged victim.
Glo Ghana Manager
The medical doctor who examined the victim confirmed the sexual abuse stating among other things that the hymen of the victim was broken. The accused was subsequently arrested by Police.
The accused admitted the offense but said the victim visited him twice and that he had consensual sexual intercourse with her only during her first visit.
He told investigators that he gave the contraceptive to her to prevent pregnancy.
The accused has been charged with defilement contrary to section 101 (2) of the Criminal Offences Act 29/60 as amended by section 11 of Act 554/98.
Glo Ghana Manager
The defense counsel prayed the court to admit the accused to bail but the Prosecuting officer Chief Inspector Bernard Annor raised objection stating that the accused has no permanent place of abode in Koforidua besides has credible information that the accused was preparing to leave Ghana to Nigeria to visit his wife and children nd, therefore, may jump bail.
The Court Presided by Her Honour Mercy Addei kotei upheld the position of the prosecuting officer and remanded the accused to reappear before court on July 26,2021.
Don’t Expect to be a Millionaire in the Teaching Sector- Nana Akuffo Addo
The president of the Republic of Ghana, H.E Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo has made a very disturbing comment about the teaching profession in Ghana which has called for the wrath of people in that profession.
In a press conference, the president makes a very shocking comment about the teaching profession, which Ghanaian teachers found very insulting. When asked about the payment of Ghanaian teachers by the government, the president shockingly tells Ghanaians teachers never to expect becoming billionaires in their profession.
“Nevertheless, I don’t think that anywhere in the world that people go into teachings expected to become millionaires and make money. If you want to do that do other things. If you want to do teaching it’s because you want to contribute to the welfare of the society…”, H.E Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo uttered.
The Presiding Member of the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly in the Eastern Region, Benjamin Awuley Mensah has passed on after a short illness Sunday afternoon.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Simeon Kwaku Tetteh, who confirmed the sad news to DGN Online said, the late PM felt sick some days ago and was confirmed dead on Sunday afternoon.
He explained that his death has been a shock to him and the Municipality as a whole since he was one of the Development Instructor in the Assembly.
He said the family will meet on Monday and decide on the next line of action.
More details will be given…. Stay glued to Dikoder.com
The Ridge Hospital ICU full, Cannot Contain any more COVID-19 Patients
The ICUs in the Greater Accra region are filled up and calls for referral are beginning to come from the Peripheral treatment centres and Private Hospitals.
Mental Health Empowerment is my Priority”- Setor Norgbe(Ghana Most beautiful Pageants Rep for Volta Region)
The issues rising out of Mental Health have been pressing concerns to many especially Mental Health practitioners and it is good we support anyone who puts it upon themselves to lead that advocacy.
On the 8th of July, 2021 the Hon Minister for Health Mr. Kwaku Agyemang Manu acknowledged a question asked him by the Hon MP for Sege constituency on Mental illnesses; in his response, he confirmed there has been an increasing rate of Illnesses hence the need for all to get involved to RESOURCE the sector for better treatments. He agreed that over 3 million people currently suffering from various degrees of the Illnesses.
At the launch of 2021 Ghana Most Beautiful Pageantry shows, The rep for Volta Region by name SETOR who is also a Medical Doctor in her short messages declared her resolve to championing the prioritisation of Mental Health issues as an ambassador when voted for as the eventual winner. Going by her words, I am pleading and praying the generality of Ghanaians to help her realise the most pressing concerns that are dear to the well-being of all in this country.
As a practitioner in the field,I know the many challenges we face as professionals in getting drugs, logistics, and many others to giving deserving treatments to those marginalised victims of MENTAL ILLNESSES.
I am not calling for support for her on the grounds of race, tribe,gender, or profession, but purely the fact that she has identified a pressing menace she wants to help address. Let us all give her our best. MENTAL ILLNESSES is no respecter of persons, certificate, monies, status, and have you, so let us all help her champion this for better resourcing and prioritisation of the sector.
Today,it might not be you but tomorrow you have no idea your family members who will suffer the conditions.
In conclusion, I am appealing to the judges and necessary stakeholders to favor her to carrying out this mandate. God bless us all. Thanks
Bismark Kwabla Kpobi Registered Mental Nurse(Senior RMN)/ Mental Health Advocate.
Man arrested for beheading Bolt driver confesses to the crime – Police Godwin Akweiteh AlloteybyGodwin Akweiteh Allotey July 5, 2021, Reading Time: 2 mins read
Police in Kuntenase in the Ashanti Region have picked up one Rashid Ibrahim for the alleged cold-blooded murder of Israel Agyei Manu, a headteacher of Rogel Montessori Basic School and owner of a private vehicle used for ride-hailing services.
Police
The 33-year-old who was driving a Toyota Vitz vehicle, with car registration number, GE 3170-21, was beheaded on Sunday afternoon.
MAN ARRESTED FOR CUTTING OFF DRIVER’S HEAD
The police in a statement said the suspect “who initially gave an untenable alibi to police, later “confessed to committing the crime.”
Police said the suspect, Rashid Ibrahim, later led officers “to retrieve the machete which he allegedly used to behead the deceased at Feyiase New Site on 4th July 2021.”
Man Arrested
Some inhabitants of Feyiase Akoyem in the Bosomtwe District of the Ashanti Region where the incident occurred said they heard a loud cry for help, only to discover a body with the head cut off, with some body parts also missing.
The suspect is currently in police custody pending processes to be put before the court.
“Police commend community members who volunteered their observation of the movement of neighbors and strangers alike to police, leading to the arrest. Police assure them of the strictest confidentiality and appeals to such informants to desist from blowing their own cover by bragging about such exploits,” police added in the statement.
MAN ARRESTED FOR CUTTING OFF DRIVER’S HEAD
Assemblyman speaks. The Assembly Member for the Feyiase Akoyem area, Samuel Yaw Kwae, who earlier narrated the incident to Citi News, said after seeing the headless body, they embarked on a frantic search which led them to the head of the deceased, few meters away from where the headless body was found.
. “I got a call from one of my committee members around 2:05 pm today [Sunday, July 4, 2021] indicating to me that, they have received news of a murder in our community, so I quickly called the police, and they confirmed the news to me. So I had to come and lead them to the scene. When we got there, we met a body without the head.”
“They [Police] invited the CID to the scene to take all the needed information for investigations. So after that, I recommended to the police that we do a thorough search for the head of the deceased and indeed they listened to me and the people of the community helped me weed the place, and we found the head as well.”
Man Arrested
144 murder cases recorded in the first quarter of 2021 – Interior Minister As of May 2021, a comparative analysis of some crime statistics from the first quarters of 2020 and 2021, showed some improvement in policing except in the area of reported murders.
According to the Interior Minister, Ambrose Dery, there were 144 murder cases recorded in the first quarter of 2021 as compared to 123 in the first quarter of 2020.
He said the issue needs to be addressed, noting that, “one loss of life in Ghana is one life too many.”
Soldiers are not trained to shoot above the knee – Boakye-Djan
A former Spokesperson of the defund Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) Major retired Osahene Kojo Boakye-Djan has waded into the arbitrary shooting of protesters in Ejurain the Ashanti Region, killing two persons and injuring four others.
he said the military manual on training its personnel does not allow for shooting above the knee in order to cause deaf in situations other than war.
He added that the military men deployed to disperse the unarmed protestors in Ejura seemed unprofessional to him because real military officers would have used tear gas and water hose in that endeavor instead of aiming to kill unarmed civilians.
Major (Ret) Boakye Gyan said it was highly unmilitaristic for a soldier to shoot young boys running away at the sight of the military men in Ejura and even if it came to the point of shooting there were certain precautionary measures to take before shooting as the military training manual dictates.
He, therefore, described the killing in Ejura as an “aimed shot” directed to kill rather than control the upheaval in the enclave.
Major (Ret.) Boakye Gyan posited that in his assessment the soldiers deployed to Ejura to control the crowd were not trained personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces. Because Ghanaian soldiers are trained to go and defend the peace in other countries so how can they fail in their own countries.
He has thus entreated the military to investigate the debacle in Ejura because to him he does not believe they were real soldiers.
In an interview with Yaa Titi Okrah on Onua FM’s Pae Mu Ka programme, he insisted that trained soldiers will not dare to behave arbitrarily in the manner exhibited in Ejura.
He was commenting on the back of the military shooting in Ejura which resulted in killing two persons and wounding four others in the process of controlling a protest in that enclave.
“What is happening in the country resulting in the castigation of soldiers and military personnel saddens my heart. For example, what happened in Ejura where the protesters were running away and were shot from behind, the manual does not allow that. You make sure you disperse them either using tear gas or water hose or those things but to shoot from behind knowing that they might die is highly unprofessional.
“In any case, if you had to shoot, there must be so many steps to take, you should not shoot from above knee level. What we witnessed was an aimed shot, sorry I have to use that term because their practice was not that of soldiers. I strongly believe the one who shot the civilians was not a trained soldier, he can’t even be a trained police officer”, the veteran officer declared.
Ejura: I didn’t call for Military assistance – District Police Commander
Police
The Ejura District Police Commander, DSP Phillip Hammond has told the three-member committee that is probing the disturbances that occurred at Ejura leading to the death of three persons that he didn’t call for military support.
He said he only called for reinforcement and that did not mean that the Military must intervene.
Asked by a member of the Committee Dr. Vladimir Antwi Danso whether the Police lacked the capacity to control the crowd for which the Military stepped in, he said “We requested for reinforcement but it is not me personally as the District Commander who requested for the Military. I only requested reinforcement and they are the team that was brought to me.”
The Chair of the Committee who is also a Court of Appeal Judge George Kingsley Koomson, for his part said the media must accept criticisms from other members of the Ghanaian society
He said, inasmuch as the media have the right to criticize, others also do have the same right to subject their work to scrutiny.
His comments come after the Battalion Commander Lt Col Kwasi Ware Peprah said no media house has spoken to him on the disturbances that occurred in Ejura yet several reports have been filed.
“As we speak no media house has spoken to me as the Battalion Commander,” he said.
In response to what he said, justice Kingsley Koomson agreed with his concerns regarding the media and said among other things that we also have the right to criticize the media.”
Lt Col Kwasi Ware Peprah further told the committee that the military aimed not to kill anybody during the upheaval.
“There was no plan to kill anyone during the Ejura disturbance.
“The aim was not to kill, it was just unfortunate. If the aim was to kill then hundred people would have died.”
Meanwhile, Justice Kingsley Koomson has recommended that the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) apply for plastic bullets to control the crowd in Ghana.
He rejected the use of live bullets to disperse the crowd since this can be fatal.
He said this when the General Officer Commander- Central Command, Brigadier General Josephs Aphour appeared before the Committee on Wednesday, July 7.
“I think the Military will put in an application for plastic bullets we are talking at human lives, don’t be applying fire live bullet,” Justice Kingsley Koomson said.
The committee was formed by Interior Minister Ambrose Dery following the gruesome murder of Macho Kakaa in Ejura over the weekend.
There was also a violent clash among the military officers and the youth of the area who were demonstrating in that town on Tuesday, June 29 following the murder.
This led to the death of two persons with four sustaining various degrees of injury.
Brigadier General Josephs Aphour while answering questions posed by members of the Committee said “My Battalion Commander called me the day of the incident that that was happening in Ejura, the indent that we all know.
“Then I had a call from the Chairman of REGSEC that the situation was getting out of control and that there was the need for us at Operations Calm Lives to move inside, if not things will get out of control.”
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