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Akufo-Addo to take 7-day ‘much-deserved’ leave from Nov. 13 – Eugene Arhin

The president, Nana Akufo-Addo will from Saturday, November 13th November 2021, take a 7-day leave. The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, will act in his stead until he resumes official duties on November 20, 2021, in accordance with Article 60(8) of the Constitution. The Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, who announced this during an engagement with the press at the Jubilee House on Thursday, said the President will within the leave period travel to France to preside over the panel for a debate in the French parliament. “President Akufo-Addo will from Saturday, 13th November to Saturday 20th November take a much-deserved, long-overdue 7-day leave of absence, during which he has also accepted an invitation to preside over the panel that will adjudicate a debate in the French parliament on the trial of progress on the 19th of November. He is expected to come back to Ghana on Saturday, November 20, 2021. In his absence, the Vice President Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu ...

Mahama criticizes government over unwillingness to acknowledge economic problems

 T he 2020 Presidential Candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has criticised the Akufo-Addo government for being unwilling to listen to the concerns of the people amidst the dire economic situation in the country. Describing the governance of the incumbent administration as “a tragedy” Mr. John Mahama said “we have a government completely unwilling to acknowledge the problems and even begin the processes to address them.” He noted that instead, the government assumes the issues can be “wished-away through sloganeering, public relations, populism, divisive rhetoric, and plain political deception.” Speaking at a public lecture to climax his ‘Thank You’ tour on Wednesday, the former President observed that these actions and inactions of the government have been detrimental to the country’s development. “The most pressing problem is the impact of the ailing economy on livelihoods, prospects and dreams. The consequences of misguided priorities in economic manage...

EC must take steps towards creation of Buem constituency now – Kofi Adams

  Member of Parliament for Buem in the Oti Region, Kofi Adams, has described as unfortunate the failure of the Electoral Commission to present a constitutional Instrument to parliament to create the Guan constituency.  During the 2020 general elections, inhabitants of the area took part in the presidential election but did not vote in the parliamentary election due to a directive from the Electoral Commission (EC) because of the absence of a constituency.  The Constitutional Instrument needed to create the constituency could not mature in the 7th Parliament.  The delay is unfortunate because this is something that the Electoral Commission should have speedily acted on because they were the ones who wrote the letter indicating that the area that now forms the guan district will not take part in the elections of MPs on the 7th December 2020… From then till now, they [EC] should have taken the necessary steps to bring a C.I. before this parliament to create a constituen...

Transport Ministry endorses directive to ban ‘aboboyaa’ from motorway

  The Ministry of Transport has endorsed the directive of the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, banning the use of tricycles popularly known as Aboboyaa on the Accra-Tema motorway. The order which took effect from November 1 has led to the seizure of a number of the tricycles along the major highway. Some members of the Minority in Parliament, have contended that the Regional Minister does not have the right to give such a directive, but the Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah in a  Citi News  interview said the various Metropolitan Municipal and District Assemblies have the legal backing to undertake such a move aimed at regulating transport in their respective localities. “Transportation is something which is done in district assemblies and localities. The district bye-laws allow the assemblies and regional authorities to come out with the way they want their transport system to run,” he said. Henry Quartey has himself responded to critics who have ...

Public hearing on anti-LGBTQ+ bill memoranda begins today

The Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of Parliament will today, Thursday, begin public hearings to consider memoranda on the Anti-Gay Bill. The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill if passed will provide clarity on the country’s sexual orientation laws. The Committee has received over 150 memoranda from religious bodies, civil society groups and citizens on the controversial subject matter of sexual orientation. The groups scheduled to appear before the committee on the first day of hearing include the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, the Human Rights Coalition, Amnesty International and Advocates for Christ. The submissions from the groups will serve as input into the report of the Committee before it is considered by the entire house. Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has called for tolerance in the public debate on the  anti LBGQTI+ bill   currently before Parliament. He said Parliament w...

Beverage market in Ghana worth ¢3.85bn, Kumasi tops with highest consumption – Report

  The beverage market in Ghana is worth ¢3.85 billion, of which domestic production dominates, accounting for 92% of the total market size, a survey by local research firm, Firmus Advisory has revealed. This is based on the number of bottles produced, consumed and the value of imports. However, the market size of imported beverages is estimated at ¢300 million, representing 8% of the market share. The report which sampled consumers in Accra, Kumasi and Sekondi-Takoradi found out that demand for beverage consumption has shot up, as most consumers drink 3 to 5 times each week. It identified that the size of the beverage market keeps expanding and is expected to grow rapidly year-on-year, going forward. 77% of bottles of beverage consumed were non-alcoholic, whilst 23% were alcoholic. Despite the impact of Covid-19 on the Ghanaian economy last year, the number of beverage products consumed slightly outpaced that of 2019. The price of alcoholic beverage was also more expensive than non...

Ghana Premier League will not break during Black Stars weekend – GFA

  T he Ghana Football Association (GFA) has confirmed that the Premier League will not be taking a break to accommodate the Black Stars upcoming FIFA World Cup  qualifier's. There were .There were doubts about whether the highest governing body of football in the country will suspend the league until the Black Stars’ games against Ethiopia and South Africa are played.  But the GFA is keen to continue the Premier League during the international break. The decision to not suspend the league was made known through communication director of the GFA, Henry Asante Twum, during an interview with Ahomka Sports. “The league just started last week. This weekend we have played match day two and it’s been a while since Asante Kotoko SC played at the Baba Yara but looking at the crowd here even under Covid restrictions, it is very impressive. Therefore, as an FA we think that there is no need to break or postpone the games but rather, we have a plan that on Friday, Gold Stars wil...

Court orders police to release mobile phones of Shatta Wale, accomplices

  The Accra Circuit Court 4 has ordered the release of mobile phones belonging to Shatta Wale and his teammates, which are still in police possession.  Lawyer for both the dancehall artiste and his team members, Jerry Avenorgbo, told judge Emmanuel Essandor that the items were confiscated upon his clients’ arrest and have since not been released. He argued that his clients being lifestyle and entertainment personalities largely depend on their mobile phones, and the police’s continuous withholding of same hinder their survival. According to Jerry Avenorgbo, all pieces of information the police would need for their investigation are already on social media as such, going into his clients’ phones would only serve to breach their privacy. Judge Emmanuel Essandor thus ruled that “It is not the work of the defense to help the prosecution to do their case. After all, the accused is presumed innocent until proven otherwise. The phones of the accused should be released to th...

Shatta Wale, Medikal return to court today

  Reggae/Dancehall musician, Shatta Wale and industry mate, Medikal are scheduled to reappear in court later today. The duo were granted a ¢100,000 bail each on October 26, 2021, on separate charges.The self-acclaimed dancehall king, born Charles Nii Armah Mensah on October 19, turned himself in after the police had declared him wanted.He had allegedly fabricated a story that he had been shot and receiving treatment, which turned out to be a hoax.But when he appeared before the law court on Thursday, October 21, he pleaded not guilty to the charge of publishing false news and causing fear and panic.The My Level’ singer, however, was remanded into prison custody for one week.On the other hand, Medikal, known in real life as Samuel Adu Frimpong, was picked up by the police for brandishing a weapon on social media.The ‘Risky’ hitmaker on October 22, was also remanded by an Accra Circuit Court for five days in prison custody although he pleaded not guilty to the charge of unlawful disp...

Akufo-Addo’s promise to protect public purse now a mirage – Catholic Bishops

  The Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference has called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to take immediate steps to halt the wanton dissipation of the country’s resources by politicians and their cronies for personal gains. The president of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, Most Rev. Philip Naameh, who made the call at this year’s plenary assembly of the association in Wa, said the practice has led to high perceived corruption and corruptible practices among the ruling class which is taking a toll on the national economy and worsening the poverty situation in the country. Though poverty stares us in the face, it appears lost to those with power. The expressed commitment of the president of the republic to protect the public purse, a promise that citizens welcomed, seems to be an illusion now. Are those managing the public purse not concerned about waste and misapplication of resources that belong to all Ghanaians? Can this be referred to as irresponsible use of power or the...