Category: Ghana General News

Coronavirus: Conference of Heads of Basics Schools calls on government to pay them allowances

Conference of Heads of Basics Schools (COHBS) has called on the government to give teachers some allowances considering their efforts to educate students in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic.

COHBS says that they can also be considered as frontline workers as they assume the role of nurses in their respective educational instutitions.

General Secretary of COHBS, Alex Ackah, wants the government to incentivize them for their efforts.

“We are looking forward that the government should consider the good works that we are doing. When the government gives us something it is not bad. I am talking about cash. We are also frontline workers because we are dealing with students whose status we don’t know of. We are able to identify people with high temperature and refer them to the nurses,” he said.

Alex Ackah also called on those responsible for the delivery of the hot meals to basic school pupils as promised by the government, to come earlier than their usual time.

He says that it will be better for the meals to be delivered at about 10:45am as that is the midpoint for classes.

“The midday is at 12 o’clock and we are closing at 12:45 pm and at that time the students will be going home. I think that between 10:45 am and 11:45 am, it will be appropriate for the students to eat. At 10:45 am, we have done two periods and it is left with another two periods. So that will be the midday for teaching and learning. The midday is 10:45 am. If any caterer who wants to accept our negotiation, then it should be around that time,” he said.

PPEs matters

On the matters of the supply of personal protective equipment (PPEs), Mr. Alex Ackah commended the government for its efforts.

He says that the government has been quick to supply PPEs to guarantee the safety of students as they prepare for their Basic Education Certificate Examinations.

Ghanaweb

August 28, 2020
Forgive Tracey Boakye and Others- Maame Dokono

Forgive Tracey Boakye and Others- Maame Dokono

Veteran actress Grace Omaboe has said Ghanaians should forgive Tracy Boakye and all the ladies involved in the ongoing social media fracas.

The Kumawood actress had claimed that a married man she is dating is also dating ‘16 years’ hitmaker Mzbel but the man prefers her (Tracy Boakye) and this issue has taken twist and turns ever since it broke on social media.

Maame Dokono, old cast of ‘By The Fireside’ to relive old moments But Grace Omaboe, popularly known as Maame Dokono, has added her voice to the ongoing clash between these ladies and, according her, Ghanaians should forgive the ladies for their utterances.

SEE ALSO: Ghana to mark Children’s Day with stocktaking of policy achievements

According to Maame Dokono, there was nothing like social media during their time when she started acting and it is thus disturbing when some of these ladies post half-naked pictures on social media because of fame.

She was speaking on Anigye Mmre on Onua FM on Wednesday, August 26.

Host Christian Agyei Frimpong asked Maame Dokono if some of these things happened during their days and she said “No”.

“During my days I didn’t have time to talk about certain things. I was engaged in my television programmes, acting and radio programmes and I didn’t have the time to talk about certain things in the open.”

She added: “I can’t even tell if social media is good or bad because I don’t even know how to use it. I believe when they grow up, they will definitely change so let’s forgive them.”

3news

August 28, 2020
Ghana to mark Children’s Day with stocktaking of policy achievements

The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection has outlined activities to take stock of the achievements, challenges and the way forward for the Child and Family Welfare Policy (CFWP) as it commemorates the 2020 National Children’s Day.

The Day, instituted on August 31, 1979 is a key activity of the then Ghana National Commission of Children (GNCC), which was established to see to the general welfare and development of children.

The GNCC was converted to the Department of Children by the GNCC Repeal Act, 2005 (Act 701) as an implementing department responsible for implementing programmes and projects for the survival, protection, participation and development of children.

A statement issued in Accra and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Thursday said the day would be observed to co-ordinate all essential services countrywide and promote the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child.

It said the celebration was expected to be carried out at the regional and national levels with awareness creation on the need for the public to act now to protect children from teenage pregnancy, human trafficking and other forms of abuse amidst COVID-19.

SEE ALSO: “My Favourite S3x Position Is Missionary” – Gospel Act Selina Boateng

It noted that on Friday, August 28, the Ministry would hold a community sensitisation programme on the need to end human trafficking at the Komenda Edina Aguafo Abirem Municipal Assembly in the Central Region.

On August 31 the Ministry would hold a national stakeholder’s forum on this year’s theme: “Five Years of Implementing the CFWP; the Achievement, Challenges and the Way Forward,” in Accra.

The Ministry congratulated all stakeholders who had delivered on their role in the Policy to ensure the strengthening of the child and family welfare system in Ghana.

“We further urge all to continue to strive for a better Ghana for our children. Our children need protection now more than ever during this COVID-19 era.”

“We must all endeavour to protect them by ensuring they adhere to the COVID-19 prevention protocols and ensure that they continue to learn whilst at home.”

Ghanaweb

August 28, 2020
We deployed the military to seal borders not towns – Ghana Armed Forces

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has said the recent deployment of officers across the country was to help security agencies secure the country’s borders and not to harass civilians.

Brigadier General Abraham Yeboah Nsiah, General Officer Commanding (GOC) Southern Command, said contrary to speculations, soldiers deployed in border communities, particularly Wudoaba in the Ketu South Municipality executed their duties professionally.

SEE ALSO: “My Favourite S3x Position Is Missionary” – Gospel Act Selina Boateng

In a press briefing when he led a delegation of the Armed Forces from Accra and the 66 Artillery Regiment, Ho, and heads of sister security agencies in the Municipality to visit officers deployed to the area.

The delegation visited about five checkpoints, being jointly manned by soldiers, Immigration and Customs officers, and the Police to encourage them.

Brigadier General Nsiah described as false media reports that GAF had withdrawn personnel from the area at the end of the voter registration exercise.

This, he said, gave the impression that the military presence was to prevent people from participating in the voter registration exercise. He referred to a video in which some residents reportedly said the soldiers left the town after the voter registration exercise was completed.

However, the GOC Southern Command said that was not the case because soldiers were not deployed in the area where the interview was granted.

“We deployed soldiers to seal the border, not the towns. That town is about two kilometres away from the border itself so you don’t expect to see a soldier there in the middle of the town, where there’s no border crossing.

“So to hear that soldiers have withdrawn since the completion of the registration exercise is completely false,” he said. Brigadier General Nsiah said he was satisfied with the visit to the area and noted that the security forces would not be distracted by the negative comments.

“We remain focused and committed to the security of this country,” he added.

GNA

August 28, 2020
Free hot meal: over 16 students hospitalized on alleged “food poisoning “
Unconfirmed rumours gathered by Celebrities Buzz is indicating that about 16 final year JHS students in the Volta Regional capital, Ho has been hit by a suspected food poisoning

This came about after the said students consumed food cooked under the 1 Hot meal per student agenda implemented by the government.

Over 16 students of the Holy Spirit Basic School at Ho in the volta Region, are receiving treatment at the municipal Hospital following a suspected food poisoning.

The students; both male and female, were rushed to the hospital today, August 27,after they complained of stomach aches after eating ‘waakye’ from the Government’s Free Hot-meal for the JHS final years .

Some of the students had been put on drips, whilst others had been discharged and were in the process of completing documentation to confirm their release

The school uniform appears to be that of the Holy Spirit basic school.The accompanying pictures were as a result of frantic efforts of our sharp lenses amist tight security for the obviouse reasons

The situation forced some parents to rush to the hospital to check on their wards.

According to the director of school feeding(Ho district)she says,”We suspect that the students had overeaten because is the same food that was given to all the schools in the community.”

See post by Mathias Alagbo Kabila on Facebook;
August 27, 2020
I Won’t Campaign Freely For Any Political Party Ever, If You Show Me Money, I’ll Ride For Your Party – Vicky Zugah

Actress and Entrepreneur Vicky Zugah has detailed how she won’t ever campaign for a political party for free ever again.

In an interview with Peace FM, she emphasized on the fact that she campaigned for a certain political party for free years ago out of the love she haboured for the party and it’s members. But in the end, she didn’t get a single pessewa and her efforts weren’t acknowledged even after the party was voted into power.

She refused to make public which party she was referring to and wouldn’t even disclose which year the incident happened, but fell silent when asked repeatedly whether it was the Nation Democratic Congress (NDC)

However, she relayed that though she hasn’t branded herself under a specific political party since then, she’ll gladly take a bag full of money and campaign for whoever makes a move in her direction.

August 27, 2020
Nana Kwaku Bonsam ends all prophecies as he finally reveals the winner of 2020 elections

The great traditionalist and spiritualist, Nana Kwaku Bonsam who once dominated the media spaces after claiming spirituality to have walked over the sea come in the media limelight once again.

He regularly appeared on television talk shows and could rally crowds of thousands. His fame shot over the clouds when he claimed to put a voodoo curse on Christiano Ronaldo during a Portuguese match with Ghana Black Stars. Which didn’t worked as he said. Ghana was defeated by Portugal.

As Ghanaian voters head to the polls in December, there have been many issues developing on what is set to happen in the coming elections. This election will be a tough contest for both parties. While both parties are prepared and waiting for the Election Day.

According to him in an interview with Wontumi FM, John Dramani Mahama’s inspired NDC will lose woefully to NPP. He revealed that Akufo Addo will this time around win the election again.

He finally concluded that things has already been arranged spiritually but only left to appear physically . In the same vein,he urged the NPP to step up their efforts to give the NDC a heavy blow of defeat once again in the upcoming elections.

August 27, 2020
We are sorry for brutalising soldiers – Obom-Domeabra residents

The Odum Plala Okyeame, Okyeame Adukwei on behalf of the residents of Obom-Domeabra has apologised to the military and the entire nation for brutalising two soldiers at Dome Faase earlier this week.

According to him, they mistook the soldiers for land guards hence the unwarranted attack on them.

“We thought they were land guards, but we have come to realise that they are soldiers and so we are very sorry. We are not justifying that landguards deserve to be brutalised but the President said he has stopped landguards from operating and i am not justifying our actions because every life matters. We really apologise,” he said.

Speaking on Atinka FM’s AM Drive, hosted by Ekourba Gyasi, Okyeame Adukwei admitted that the youth who attacked the soldiers had faulted, therefore calling on the military to forgive them.

However, he said they had complained about the mistreatment by those who were claiming the land, including destroying their farm produce on several occasions but they had no positive response from their authorities.

Soon after the clash between the soldiers and residents, about three hundred soldiers reportedly stormed Obom-Domeabra to retaliate and as well look for two missing guns.

It was reported that all the men in the town fled leaving their wives and children at home.

When the military got to the town, they went to each house to search for their guns and marched all the women to a park as a form of punishment.

The Deputy Defence Minister, Derrick Oduro made it known that the soldiers were sent there by their authorities, adding that the military will deal with the people of Obom Domeabra for attacking the soldiers.

Meanwhile, reacting to the Defence Minister’s comments, Okyeame Adukwei said the military men in question had been stationed on the disputed land for a while, acting like landguards and therefore they did not believe those soldiers were sent by their authorities.

He, therefore, called on government to come out with the truth and intervene on their behalf, stating that they had occupied the land for so many years without knowing it belonged to some people of Akyem.

“They have hidden the truth on what really happened from the public. We are appealing to the President, if it is true that he sent them, then he should intervene because we have all gone to hide in the bush and we do not know where our children and wives are,” he said.

Okyeame Adukwei added, “The authorities should exclude the soldiers from this matter and bring in the police to help solve it peacefully. We are in an election year and we do not want chaos. We have been to the site several times and we saw land guards in army uniforms so we thought these two soldiers were land guards.”

He added that the people of Dome Faase intend to send the matter to court immediately after the press conference, adding that it was unfortunate the issue took a violent turn.

Atinkaonline

August 27, 2020
More than 500 girls to benefit from ICT skills training in Oti
Some 570 girls from deprived Junior and Senior High Schools in the Oti region are undergoing skills training in ICT to broaden their scope in the subject area.

The package is being rolled out by the Ministry of Communication through the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC).

The participants, who excel, would be rewarded with a device, certificate and their institutions benefit from the establishment of an ultra-modern ICT resource centre and laboratory.

The team visited five ICT District Centres in Oti Region, where teachers involved in the programme are being equipped to become train-the-trainees models in ICT.

Abraham Kofi Asante, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GIFEC, in a speech on behalf of Ursula Owusu-Ekufu the Minister of Communications, said, ‘Girls in ICT’ is a programme organised to train and help girls acquire computer skills.

He said the government was building a digitised economy championed by ICT and had prioritised training for JHSs students to be literate in the subject area.
The Chief Executive Officer said the Ministry for Communication would establish ICT centres in the Oti Regional Capital to serve as a resource centre to build capacities.

He encouraged the students to demonstrate a passion to excel in ICT, which is now the driver for undertaking tasks in the global space.

He said as part of the implementation of Girls in ICT in line with the International Telecom Union strategy some 680 JHSs and 380 SHSs ICT laboratories had been established.

Mr Asante said about 141 community laboratories were activated with 242 centres at various stages of completion compared to 28 that were operational at the end of 2016.

He said the girls would be introduced to coding and other tools to sharpen their intelligence to become problem solvers.

He said Dambai is benefiting from the community ICT Centre as part of the President’s digitisation programme.

The training centres the team visited are Kyabobo Girls Junior High School laboratory in the Nkwanta South Municipal, Nkwanta South Municipal ICT laboratory, Nkwanta South SHS Technical laboratory and Oti SHS Technical laboratory in the Krachi East Municipal.

Students under the ICT training programme expressed gratitude to the Ministry for Communication and GIFEC.

Ghanaweb- Dikoder.com
August 27, 2020
Construction of Tema industrial-Kpone road begins
Kwesi Amoako Attah, Minister of Roads and Highways, has cut sod for the rehabilitation of the 7.2 kilometer Tema Industrial Area to Kpone link road.

Amoako-Attah said the existing single carriageway collector road would be widened to a 2×2 dual carriageway with improved drainage systems adding that the first two kilometers within the heavy industrial zone would have a concrete surface while the remaining five would be asphaltic.

He said a wholly owned Ghanaian M/S Joshob Company Limited would build the road within 24 months after winning an open competitive tender.

“The main objectives of the project include improvement of the capacity and riding quality of the road, reduction of traveling times between communities, ensuring safety of commuters and other road users, and improving drainage on the road”, he said.

He disclosed that the ongoing concrete road construction of the Tema Steel Works to the Nestle factory was about 70 per cent complete and it would be commissioned by November this year.

He said other critical projects including partial reconstruction of selected roads ongoing within the Tema Metropolitan area and Tema West Municipality were 30 per cent complete while other roads were also between 20 to 57 percent completed in the two areas.

Ishmael Ashitey, Greater Accra Regional Minister, expressed gratitude to the Ministry for remembering the people of Tema and Kpone, saying the road served many companies and commuters.

Ashitey appealed to the contractor to do a good job and within time and asked that they employed the local youth on the project.

Felix Mensah Nii Anang-La, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, in a welcoming address, reiterated the importance of rehabilitating the road and invited investors to invest in Tema and Kpone.

Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus Glover Member of Parliament for Tema East, Solomon Tettey Appiah, Kpone-Katamanso Municipal Chief Executive, and Hopeson Adorye, Parliamentary Candidate for Kpone-Katamanso all lauded the good works of the government.
GNA
August 27, 2020
Government to set up Kente Village

Government is considering the idea of setting up a Kente Craft Village to boost the production of the Ghanaian indigenous cloth for both local and international markets.

The proposal, put together by the Royal Kente Weavers and Sellers Association, was presented to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo by the group’s representatives at the Jubilee House, Accra on Wednesday.

The plan, which targeted high kente production in the Western, Ahafo, Oti, Central and Eastern regions, aimed at training some 5,200 persons between the ages 15 to 24 on art of kente weaving to sustain the Kente tradition and its allied industry and to help promote it as part of Ghanaian cultural heritage.

Receiving the proposal from the group, President Akufo-Addo Addo said the Kente cloth embodied the rich identity of Ghana, and had over decades become visible on the world stage, particularly among people of black descent in the diaspora where it had become a symbol of connection to Africa.

He cited the adornment of kente vestments by the members of United States Senate and Congress as they solidarised with a black man whose life was taken unlawfully, saying the Kente cloth was a source of pride and dignity beyond Ghana.

The President said the proposal was noteworthy and would be given the needed attention by government.

He assured the group that government would lend support to help raise the level of Kente production.

Kwami Nyami, leader of the association who expressed appreciation for the audience granted the group by the President, appealed to government to give the needed attention to the kente weaving industry as it could create jobs for the teeming youth of Ghana.

GNA

August 27, 2020
First Lady presents $20,000 to sick pencil artist

First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo has officially presented an amount of $20,000 to ailing pencil artist Emmanuel Apraku to help in his treatment.

Apraku, popularly known as Ray, has received widespread support on social media since his illness was made public.

Several Ghanaians subsequently donated to a GoFundMe account which was created to raise funds for him to undergo surgery.

The First Lady also reached out to the team behind Apraku’s global fundraiser and pledged to donate $20,000 for his treatment.

She went ahead to send the ailing pencil artist a hand-written letter wishing him a speedy recovery.

“Dear, Emmanuel, I wish you the very best and speedy recovery. God bless,” Mrs. Akufo-Addo wrote.

The First Lady has now delivered on her promise by personally donating an amount of $20,000 to the sick artist.

Pulsegh

August 27, 2020
Tell Ghanaians you won’t repeat past mistakes – Asantehene to Mahama

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has admonished NDC flagbearer John Dramani Mahama to assure Ghanaians that the mistakes that happened under his tenure as President will not be repeated if he is re-elected in the upcoming December polls.

The Asantehene made the comments during a visit by the former President to introduce his running mate, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang to him on Wednesday at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.

According to the king, it is important for Mahama to do an introspection and explain to Ghanaians the mistakes of the past and how he has corrected those mistakes to warrant a second chance.

“You have been a President before and you want to return again as President. I have spoken to you a lot and I have said that if you want to come back, let Ghanaians know what went wrong yesterday. Also let Ghanaians know that the mistakes won’t be repeated.

“When you lost the election, I said that Ghanaians voted against you out of disappointment and anger. And when you were re-elected as flagbearer and you informed me, I asked you whether you have looked at your mistakes in the past and how you can convince Ghanaians how you will correct those mistakes.”

The Asantehene added “the sitting President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo wants to be re elected for another 4 years and he has been going round explaining to Ghanaians what he has done. You have just told me what you did when you were President, and what you want to do if you get another chance. What you have to do is to tell Ghanaians the wrongs of the past and how you will correct those wongs.”

Starrfm

August 27, 2020
EC is overburdened, can’t regulate political parties – CHRAJ boss

Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice, Joseph Whittal, has said he backs suggestions that a new independent body should be established to take over the Electoral Commission’s role of regulating political parties.

According to Mr Whittal, the EC already has its hands full with conducting elections and referenda to take other roles like ensuring that political parties adhere to the rules on financial audits.

“The Electoral Commission is certainly overburdened with all public elections and referenda and so to add a regulator of political parties or as we call them ‘Registrar of Political Parties’, as we call them in other countries, I think it is an over-kill,” the CHRAJ Commissioner said at an event to launch the Citizens’ Anti-Corruption Manifesto in Accra.

Mr Whittal was responding to concerns that the EC has reneged on its mandate to audit the finances of political parties in Ghana, which some have said fuels corruption since there is no transparency in the financing of the parties.

The CHRAJ Commissioner said Ghana can adopt the system in other African countries where there is an independent Political Party Registrar responsible for ensuring registration of political parties granting certificates, going through their audits and their statement of accounts.

“If the evidence shows that the EC has not been able to activate that aspect of this law, we must be thinking of hacking it off and giving it to an independent body that can handle that aspect…and making sure that the outstanding issues of monitoring political party financing are addressed,” he stressed.

The citizens’ manifesto is a project that seeks to inform strategic policy direction for the political parties before they are elected into office.

The project is funded by STAR-Ghana Foundation with support from UKAid and European Union.

It is titled, “Making All Voices Count in the 2020 Anti-Corruption Agenda of Political Parties’ Manifestoes” and reveals, among other things that, citizens want legislative reforms to prioritise stronger sanctions against proceeds against criminal activity.

On the administrative fronts, citizens proposed that there should be an introduction of anti-corruption and integrity curricula in schools.

ghanaweb

August 27, 2020
Prophet Nigel Gaisie Drops Five Political Prophecies; Predicts A Win For Mahama In The December Polls
Founder and leader of the Prophetic Hill Church, Prophet Nigel Gaisie, has dropped five new political prophecies ahead of a very volatile election period in Ghana.

His prophecy also announces a win for Former President Mahama who is seeking a come back to the presidency.

In a Facebook post, Prophet Nigel Gaisie who has been in the news in recent times for all the wrong reasons said, amongst other things, there is a political plot to terminate his life because he has been deemed as a thorn in the flesh of the governing party.

Below Are The Five Prophecies Prophet Nigel Gaisie Put Forth:
1. 1. I saw a SERIOUS ATTACK ON A VICE RUNNING MATE, let them PRAY
2. 2. Ghana Will PROSPER, I SAW IT FROM 2021, MIDYEAR
3. 3. I saw a hatched plan against my person and my church thus they will CRASH MY CAR AND KILL ME BECAUSE I HAVE BECOME TORN IN THEIR FLESH BUT BE ASSURED THE LORD SEETH ALL THINGS AHEAD OF THEM AND REVEALS IT TO HIS Servants.
4. 4. I saw an attack on Burkina Faso
5. 5. I sense a GREAT WIND BLOW ON THE NATION OF AMERICA
Prophet Nigel Gaisie is part of a crop of pastors who many describe as “politically-biased preachers who allow their affiliation to political parties to determine the angle of their so-called prophecies.”

Also, recent controversies surrounding the dealings of the pastor has eroded his reputation in the eyes of the public who believe there may be something up his sleeves. There has been a breakdown in the trust the people used to repose in him and others based on their conduct and attitude.

As the election period draws closer, prophecies upon prophecies would Ghanaians be bombarded with. Each preacher or prophet will claim he or she has heard from God concerning the outcome of the elections in a subtle bid to court the attention and admiration of the citizenry when these prophecies somehow materialize.
August 27, 2020