An Accra High Court, presided over by Justice Mary Yanzuh, has ruled that the trial of NDC’s James Gyakye Quayson will be heard on daily basis starting from July 4, 2023.
The court ruled that its June 16 order announcing this arrangement was within law and a case for a review had not been made.
“Adjournments are at the discretion of the court and not the convenience of parties. The order of this court was clearly in line with the law. No where was it demonstrated that the order was contrary to law.
“His rights have not been violated by court for refusing not to give him time to campaign. Mere refusal of the court does not constitute denial of right to fair trial,” the judge stated.
Lawyers for Mr. Quayson had urged the court to review its order insisting he needed time to campaign ahead of the June 27 Assin North By-election.
They provided to the court documents showing statements made by the Attorney General which they insisted prejudiced the case.
Justice Yanzuh however ruled that those statements were not relevant to the issue at hand.
“None of the above grounds has been made to warrant a review. The points raised are not different from those canvassed previously.
“The only new information is the alleged prejudicial comments made by the AG. These assertions are not relevant for me to review my decision.
“Fair trial is against undue delay. It is in the interest of justice that trials are not unduly delayed.”
She thus adjourned proceedings to June 29, July 4 and added that the trial will proceed on a day to day basis afterwards.
These dates were selected due to the unavailability of the specific court room on Mondays, the June 27 By-election and the upcoming Holiday and Martyrs’ day.
Deputy Attorney General Diana Asonaba Dapaah told joynews the decision of the court is consistent with time tested principles of law.
“It sits with what we have always said that it is up to the court to decide the dates for hearing and not at the convenience of an accused person,” she stated.
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s late equaliser gave Liverpool a point at Manchester City in the meeting of the Premier League’s top two at Etihad Stadium.
In a game that did not touch the heights of previous encounters between the main domestic powers of recent times, reigning champions City led when Erling Haaland was the beneficiary of Liverpool keeper Alisson’s poor clearance.
It made him the fastest player to reach 50 Premier League goals – in his 48th match – and gave City an advantage they held until the closing stages.
Ruben Dias thought he had added City’s second, only to see his goal ruled out for a foul on Alisson before Alexander-Arnold made Pep Guardiola’s side pay for a failure to kill Liverpool off.
Alexander-Arnold had a tough game defensively trying to contain the lively Jeremy Doku but demonstrated his quality 10 minutes from time with a crisp, low strike from the edge of the area that gave Ederson no chance.
City remain top of the table but might regard this as an opportunity missed, while Liverpool will be satisfied with a draw.
Rihanna has reportedly welcomed her second child with her 34-year-old partner A$AP Rocky.
The 35-year-old singer gave birth to a son on August 3 in Los Angeles, TMZ claimed on Monday. She has yet to comment on the report.
And the outlet added that though they do not yet know the name of her bundle of joy, they do know that the first name begins with an ‘R.’
The singers already have a son named RZA Athelston who was born in May 2022.
The last time Rihanna was seen out in public was in late July when she had dinner with Rocky at her favorite Italian restaurant Giorgio Baldi in Santa Monica, California. The star had a large baby bump as she modeled a bra top and sweatpants.
Rihanna announced her second pregnancy when she showed up at the Super Bowl halftime show in February with a baby bump.
Zodwa Wabantu is a popular South African socialite and dancer known for pulling crazy stunts on stage when performing.
She loves entertaining her fans in nightclubs while almost naked.
The well-endowed socialite was filmed allowing thirsty male fans to touch and spank her naked booty while performing in a jam-packed event over the weekend.
Fans almost caused a stampede as they touched her goodies.
Some of the fans were seen taking photos and videos as Wabantu pulled the crazy stunt.
Check this out.
Watch video below…
The post ZODWA WABANTU Is At It Again – Allows Thirsty Men To Touch And Spank Her Bum Bum On Stage (Watch Video) appeared first on Face of Malawi.
Lionel Messi has reportedly been given a two-week suspension by Paris Saint-Germain for missing training on Monday to travel to Saudi Arabia.
According to ESPN, Messi won’t be paid during his ban and won’t practice or play for the starting lineup.
According to the French daily L’Equipe, PSG manager Christophe Galtier informed his players that if they defeated Lorient on Sunday, they would get two days off, Monday and Tuesday, but if they lost, they would have to report to practice on Monday.
– –
Galtier and sporting director Luis Campos granted Messi permission to go in the event of a victory or draw after he requested permission to honour his sponsorship agreement as a Saudi ambassador.
But after PSG’s humiliating 3-1 loss to Lorient, their third defeat in their previous four league games, sources told ESPN that Messi flew to Saudi Arabia without seeking another approval, which prevented him from going to practice on Monday.
According to sources who spoke to ESPN, the event led to tensions in the locker room and some players were upset.
The World Cup winner’s ongoing contract extension negotiations have made the issue more challenging. At the conclusion of the current campaign, Messi’s contract at Parc des Princes is set to expire.
Barcelona is considering Messi’s potential re-signing, but LaLiga president Javier Tebas has cautioned that the league will not alter its financial fair play policies to let him do so.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament has referred 26 budget management centres (BMCs) under the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to the Attorney General for prosecution.
The centres failed to adhere to the procurement law, the Auditor-General’s Report for 2021 alleges.
The Chairman of the PAC, Dr James Klutse Avedzi, gave the directive at its sitting in Accra yesterday.
Straight forward
The chairman said the issue was straightforward as the 26 institutions procured goods and services without obtaining alternative price quotations which was a breach of the Procurement Act.
“So we are referring the 26 BMCs to the Attorney General for possible prosecution,” he said.
When the Minister of Health, Kwaku Agyeman Manu, asked Dr Avedzi to provide clarification on his ruling, the PAC chairman, on the other hand, asked for further clarification again since the BMCs had broken the Procurement Law and needed to be prosecuted.
No power
“This committee has no power to prosecute, it is the Attorney General that has the power to prosecute so we are referring you to the Attorney General,” he said.
In his reaction, Mr Agyeman Manu said some of the infractions could be as a result of persons who might not have done procurement.
However, he said the ministry was strengthening “supervision and oversight to make sure that this thing is brought to the barest minimum”.
He described the ruling as harsh and pleaded that the chair would temper justice with mercy so that they would be more careful, going forward.
Situation
Under the situation, the minister said, not much money was lost but Dr Avedzi said the risk was very high and so the minister could not conclude that money was not lost.
“In other words, the plea you are making can be made at the courts,” he said.
Responding to a question on 202 institutions, units and staff that had defaulted in the payment of loans to the tune of GH¢3,090,000, the Financial Controller of the Ministry of Health, Daniel Azubila, said between 2005 and 2015, the ministry decided to motivate health workers.
Support
That, he said, was by supporting them with vehicles in the form of loans to keep them in the country.
“That was the objective,” he emphasised, adding that the best approach was to link the repayment through the controller so it could be deducted from their salaries.
Later, he said it was realized that most of the beneficiaries had taken loan which would have reduced their legibility to qualify for the loans.
Mr Azubila said given that the deductions were not done by the controller, they were asked to pay through their banks.
Repayment
However, he said, because the repayment was not through the controller, it was difficult recovering the loans as they could decide when to pay.
So far, he said an amount of GH¢765,284.74 had been recovered and had furnished the auditors with the information.
Asked whether or not all the beneficiaries were staff of the ministry, he said there was a category of them who died, another group went on retirement with majority of them still in the system spread across the country.
Sitting continues today.
Source: Graphiconline
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Before taking the world by storm as the star of Broadway’s Newsies, Jeremy Jordan starred in the original Broadway production of the musical Bonnie & Clyde.
Jeremy reprised his role as Clyde Barrow in a West End concert production of the musical back in 2022 opposite Frances Mayli McCann as Bonnie Parker… and now the full show is going to be available to stream from home.
JustJared.com has an exclusive sneak peak of Jeremy and Frances performing the act one finale song “This World Will Remember Us” ahead of the film’s streaming release on June 24.
Bonnie & Clyde The Musical: Filmed Live will be available to stream on demand beginning 9am ET on Monday, June 24. Pre-orders for the highly anticipated filmed version of the concert can be made now at bonnieclydelive.com.
“Playing Clyde Barrow in Bonnie & Clyde The Musical has been one of the highlights of my career,” Jeremy said in a statement. “I was delighted to reprise the role, alongside the fantastic Frances Mayli McCann as Bonnie, for a special concert staging at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 2022 and am beyond thrilled to be able to share that version of the show with audiences worldwide.”
The 34th edition of Africa’s biggest event, the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations kicks off in less than 48 hours, with 24 strong African nations set to battle it out for Africa’s most coveted title.
With all 24 teams raring to go, CAFOnline takes a look interesting statistical information of brothers playing in the same national team at the various editions of the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON.
In the history of the competition, six siblings have managed to win the trophy: the Ethiopians Italo and Luciano Vassalo in 1962, the Congolese Albert Bwanga and Robert Kazadi in 1974, the Cameroonians André and François Biyik in 1988, the Zambians Christopher and Felix Katongo in 2012, the Ivorians Yaya and Kolo Touré in 2015.
Egypt’s Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan have achieved the feat of winning two TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations in 1986 and 1998 together.
Football-wise, Kolo and Yaya have experienced almost everything. For years, they were teammates and opponents in the English Premier League but when asked what their biggest emotion as players was, they pointed to their victory in the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations in 2015.
Before reaching the holy grail in Equatorial Guinea, the Touré brothers had played in 5 TotalEnergies AFCON competitions.
André and Jordan Ayew (Ghana – AFCON 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021 & 2023)
2023 will be the sixth TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations that Abedi Pelé’s sons will play together. In 2015, André and Jordan Ayew were on the verge of winning their first continental title but couldn’t wrestle the might of Côte d’Ivoire during an endless penalty shootout.
André Kana Biyik and François Omam Biyik (Cameroon – AFCON 1988, 1990 and 1992)
The two wield distinct skill sets. The youngest François, is an elegant striker; his goal scored in the 1990 World Cup against Diego Maradona’s Argentina lives on.
The two brothers played together in three TotalEnergies CAF AFCON competitions.
Hossam and Ibrahim Hassan (Egypt 1986 & 1998)
Until now, no siblings have managed to do better than them. The Hassan brothers achieved the feat of winning two TotalEnergies CAF AFCON titles.
Alain and Traoré (Burkina Faso – 2015 and 2017)
Finalists in 2013, and after an unsuccessful attempt in 2015, the two brothers had to settle for a bronze medal in 2017.
Sambou and Mustapha Yatabaré (Mali – 2015 and 2017)
Now retired, the two Malian brothers defended the colors of Mali in 2015 and 2017. The two participations ended in elimination in the first round of the competition.
Christopher and Felix Katongo (Zambia – 2012 and 2013)
Zambia won its first TotalEnergies CAF AFCON in 2012. Christopher Katongo participated in this fantastic odyssey alongside his younger brother Félix.
But this wasn’t a Zambian first. In 1994 and 1996, Kenneth and Mordon Malitoli became the first Zambian siblings to compete in the competition.
Italo and Luciano Vassalo (Ethiopia – 1962)
Luciano and Italo Vassalo are the first brothers to have played in the same team during the 1962 edition in Addis Ababa. Luciano would later be crowned best player of the competition, a first for an Ethiopian player.
Nouh Mohamed El Abd, Sidi Ahmed Mohamed El Abd, Lamine Ba and El Hadji Ba (Mauritania – 2023)
For the 2023 edition, four brothers are making an appearance for Mauritania. Nouh Mohamed El Abd and his little brother Sidi Ahmed Mohamed El Abd. Both players play at FC Nouadhibou, Nouh in defense and Sidi in the middle.
Lamine Ba will also be accompanied by his brother El Hadji. Born in France, Ba brothers will play their first Africa Cup of Nations with Mauritania.
Albert Bwanga and Robert Kazadi (DR Congo – 1974)
Albert Bwanga and Robert Kazadi represented Democratic Republic of Congo. They are one of six siblings to have won the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON.
Ghana also had two pairs of brothers during the 2008 edition, Asamoah Gyan was accompanied by his big brother Baffour. The Kingston family was also represented by Richard and Laryea.
In 2004, Zimbabwean Peter Ndlovu played in the competition with his brother Adam.
During this same edition, Benin had Tchomogo Oumar and Seidath. In 2000, Salou, Bachirou and Tadjou brought joy to Togo, just like Mohamed and Musa Kallon with Sierra Leone in 1996. The 1994 AFCON saw Samir and Adel Sellimi defend the colors of Tunisia.
Accra, Feb.20, GNA – The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has assembled experienced and formidable personalities as advisors and managers to steer the party’s campaign for the 2024 Election.
The team comprised prominent figures within the party including former President John Agyekum Kufuor and current President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, former National Chairman, Freddie Blay, and former Campaign Manager, Peter Mac Manu.
The team aims to mobilise support across the country and strategise effectively towards winning the 2024 Election, credible sources told the media after a crunch meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Party in Accra, on Monday.
The members of the Party’s Council of Elders, including Elizabeth Ohene, Rev. Joyce Aryee, and Akosua Frema Osei Opare, the Chief of Staff are also members of the Campaign Team.
The chairman of campaign team is Dan Botwe, the Member of Parliament for Okere and former Local Government and Rural Development Minister, supported by deputies; Fred Oware and Nana Akomea.
Together, they would oversee the overall direction of the campaign, coordinating various activities and initiatives.
The General Secretary of the NPP, Justin Kodua Frimpong, takes the role of Director of campaign operations, with National Organiser, Henry Nana Boakye, as his deputy.
Mr Frederick Opare Ansah, former Member of Parliament for Suhum, takes on the role of Campaign Manager, with deputies; Osei Bonsu Amoah for Parliamentary Campaign, Dr Ibrahim Anyars in charge of Presidential Campaign, while Dr Antoinette Tsibu-Darko takes charge of Research and Administration.
The NEC also approved a proposed structure for the Party’s national campaign and appointed some individuals to serve on the various campaign committees.
A National Campaign Coordinating Committee (NCCC), which shall oversee the work of all other committees, would be chaired by the 2024 Presidential Candidate, assisted by his running-mate, yet to be named.
The National Chairman shall also serve on the NCCC.
Former President J. A. Kufuor and President Akufo-Addo and all members of the National Council of Elders: Freddie Blay, Elizabeth Ohene, Rev. Joyce Aryee, and Akosua Frema Osei Opare would serve on the National Advisory Committee.
Mr Peter Mac Manu is in charge of electoral affairs of the campaign.
Mr Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, John Boadu, Kofi Dzamasi, Dr. Susana Alo, Salifu Saeed, Samuel Awuku, Anthony Karbo, Dr. Nyame Baafi, Nii Adjei Sowah are all Senior Campaign Aides.
Mr Joseph Cudjoe is the Coordinator for Identifiable Groups, Mavis Hawa Koomson is the campaign Coordinator for the Coastal Zone, Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie, Coordinator for the Middle Belt Zone, and Dominic Nitiwul, Coordinator for the Northern Zone.
Dr Gideon Boako is the spokesperson for the NPP Presidential Candidate.
Mr Dennis Edward Miracles Aboagye is the Director of Communications for the campaign with Yaw Adomako Baafi and Akbar Khomeni as his deputies.
Maxwell Krobea Kwabena Asante is the Coordinator for Social Media.
Research Directorate: Dr Isaac Owusu Mensah.
Finance and Fund Raising: Dr Alolo Mutaka.
Legal Directorate: Frank Davies (Chairman), Gary Nimako Marfo (Deputy).
Diplomatic Liaison: Ambassador Edward Boateng.
These Committees would be inaugurated at a later date.
There shall also be regional, constituency and polling station campaign teams to assist the National Campaign Committees towards the effective execution of their mandate.
Note that these rates may differ at a forex bureau near you. Our forex bureau rates are provided by Afriswap Bureau De Change in Osu, Accra.
The Interbank forex rates from the Bank of Ghana today, May 2, 2024, have shown that the Ghana Cedi is trading against the dollar at a buying price of 13.2673 and a selling price of 13.2805.
At a Forex bureau in Accra, the dollar is being bought at a rate of 14.05 and sold at 14.40.
Against the Pound Sterling, the Cedi is trading at a buying price of 16.6146 and a selling price of 16.6339.
At a Forex Bureau in Accra, the pound sterling is being bought at a rate of 17.30 and sold at a rate of 17.80.
The Euro is trading at a buying price of 14.1823 and a selling price of 14.1976.
At a Forex Bureau in Accra, the Euro is being bought at a rate of 14.80 and sold at 15.30.
The South African Rand is trading at a buying price of 0.7061 and a selling price of 0.7064.
At a forex bureau in Accra, the South African Rand is being bought at a rate of 0.40 and sold at a rate of 1.10.
The Nigerian Naira is trading at a buying price of 102.8831 and a selling price of 104.8531.
At a forex bureau in Accra, Nigerian Naira is being bought at a rate of 9.00 Naira for every 1 Cedi and sold at a rate of 14.00.
For the CFA, it is trading at a buying price of 46.2020 and a selling price of 46.2518.
At a forex bureau in Accra, CFA is being bought at 21.00CFA for every 1 Cedi and sold at a rate of 23.00 CFA for every 1 Cedi.
The management of Accra Hearts of Oak is about to take out numerous attackers from the club and bring in the on-loan centre-forward of Real Tamale United (RTU), Issah Kuka.
According to the sports analyst nicknamed Testa, the management of Accra Hearts of Oak has shown interest in Issah Kuka and wants to sign him into the club.
Issah Kuka plays extremely great in Real Tamale United (RTU) and since he is on loan, the management of Accra Hearts of Oak wants to purchase and give him a contract with the club.
The management of Accra Hearts of Oak is yet to hold a meeting with Issah Kuka and his entourage to discuss a deal with them.
If both of them meet their demands, then Issah Kuka will join Accra Hearts of Oak.
Before Issah Kuka will join Accra Hearts of Oak, the management wants to sacrifice numerous attackers by seeing them off from the club.
Yassan Ouatching is part of them.
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Flagbearer hopeful of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has proposed a new innovative business model for the country to succeed in diversifying its agriculture.
According to him the new business model should be driven by a government structure, supply chain logistics and market access, big data and technology for evidence-based decision making, research and development, strengthening both input and output market systems and human development.
But above all, he said, the political will to execute this innovative new business model should never be compromised.
He was speaking at the Vikings Alumni Celebrity Platform Lecture organized by the Mensah Sarbah Hall Alumni Association on the occasion of the 60th Hall anniversary themed, “Exploiting Agriculture Diversification to Fund Economic Development in Ghana”.
Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto noted that the investments needed to achieve sustainable food systems will be non-negotiable in his vision to transform agriculture for the prosperity of all.
Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto said should he be elected the Flagbearer of the NPP and subsequently as the President of Ghana, he will create an Agricultural Management Team (AMT) to drive agricultural development.
The Agricultural Economist further noted that to improve supply chain logistics and expand market access, infrastructure projects such as feeder roads, hospitals, housing, rural electrification, irrigation, and storage will be integral in the agricultural transformation agenda.
“It is essential that policy makers, farmers, and actors in the value chain are trained to access the benefits of data for decision making. Precision agriculture that gives farmers the ability to use inputs more effectively to increase productivity will be prioritised,” he said.
Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, spoke of his vision to develop and strengthen both input and output market systems.
“I shall establish an appropriate regulatory framework to leverage private-sector investment across all sectors and promote the efficient distribution of agro-inputs.
He stressed that another key factor will be to ensure human development.
“A comprehensive strategy will be adopted to develop the human capital needed to take innovations to scale along the agricultural commodity value chains.
This will include farmer field schools, demonstration plots, development of agropreneurs, training of agricultural extension agents, and value chain actors to improve efficiency.
We shall also support social development programmes aimed at reducing illiteracy among rural households and farmers to increase the adoption of new technologies. We shall develop curricula in our educational system that shall equip students with the mindset, knowledge, and skills for agricultural education,” he said.
Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto further stressed the need for the creation of common wealth for the good of ordinary Ghanaians.
“We must engage to create common wealth that sees to the needs of the common people. There is a need for a new innovative business model, value addition, productive stakeholder engagement, including the youth, smallholder farmers, and large-scale farmers, and everyone in the agri-business value chain for adequate and affordable food and high value export to fully benefit from the gains of the sector.
Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto reiterated that “Agriculture is the means to our end”, adding that the Tree Crop Development Authority (TCDA), the Grains Development Authority (GDA), and other commodity institutions can together substantially expand our export earning capacity to fund industrial development and finance social sectors including health, education, housing and roads.
Expanding our export earning capacity should reduce our dependence on external borrowing to fund our economic development – as has been the case since independence,” he added.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey has pledged his support for Citi TV/Citi FM’s ‘Back To Your Village’ Food Bazaar.
Pledging his support for such a laudable initiative, the Regional Minister advised that such events must be encouraged and replicated in other regions to help achieve Ghana’s self-reliance drive.
“The event must be encouraged and escalated to other areas and sectors to help reduce the lifestyle diseases that we get which is because we have Europeanized our foods. Patronizing made-in-Ghana products will help us achieve the self-reliance we are seeking.”
“Eating local products will increase productivity and put food on the table of Ghanaians especially Ghanaian farmers. Rome was not built in a day, but gradually. We will get there, and a time will come when we will patronize our own products more than imported products,” the Minister added.
The Regional Minister who doubles as the Member of Parliament for the Ayawaso Central constituency before his speech walked through the various vendor stands taking a taste of various delicious dishes and eatables brought by vendors from all parts of the country.
On his part, the Managing Director of Citi TV/Citi FM, Samuel Attah-Mensah equally encouraged the consumption of locally made products to help drive economic growth.
“Every food that you pick here, you are putting food on the table of a local farmer. This [‘Back To Your Village’ Food Bazaar] and many others should be done to encourage the consumption of our local products.”
The ‘Back To Your Village’ Food Bazaar is one of the flagship events organised as part of Citi TV/Citi FM’s Heritage Month which comes off every year in March.
This year’s #BackToYourVillage Food Bazaar is powered by Citi FM and Citi TV and proudly sponsored by Voltic, Malta Guinness, Africa Business Bureau, Fortune Emo pa, Pan African Savings and Loans, and Gino.
Nollywood actress Mercy Aigbe Adeoti has stirred reactions online as she links up with famous interior designer, Ehizogie Ogbebor.
The duo shared photos on Instagram, which captured the beautiful moments they met while boarding an airline returning to Nigeria.
Mercy Aigbe expressed delight to see Ehi on board, while she also disclosed that she came back to the country in order to vote.
She wrote: Eku ile oh!!! Just in time to vote for my choice in tomorrow’s gubernatorial election!
So delighted to see my darling beautiful Benin Sis @ceosayavethinteriors_and_hotel.
Ehi, who is also the ex of former NURTW boss, MC Oluomo, was delighted to see Mercy Aigbe on board.
She shared the photos of their meeting with an amazing caption, which read, “Was so nice to see my beautiful superstar sis on board…. fresh n so young….Back like we never left @realmercyaigbe.
Netizens react as Mercy Aigbe links up with Ehi
Many took to Mercy Aigbe and Ehi’s timeline to commend their glow and beauty, while some claimed the duo are birds of the same feathers.
One user, Moemi wrote, “birds of the same feather”
One Sholape wrote the same thing in Yoruba, “Iru iro nborun”.
Another Ojo Sandra iterated the same statement.
“Arrrhhhh no wonder birds of the same feather,” Maurene wrote.
Mercy Aigbe reveals what happens when she travels alone
Kemi Filani recalls that while travelling, Mercy Aigbe revealed what happens whenever she travels alone.
The beautiful mother of two shared photos online with the kinds of photos she got because she travelled without company.
“These are the Kinda of Pictures you get when you travel alone and rely on a friendly, random Good Samaritan to take your photos, minus the Selfies of course!
“I am on an ADVENTURE, guys!” Mercy Aigbe wrote on Instagram
The Member of Parliament (MP) representing the Builsa South constituency, Clement Apaak, has described as pointless, the disciplinary measures taken in response to the assault incident at Adisadel College, as captured in a disturbing viral video.
In the video, a student can be seen violently attacking another student in one of the school’s dormitories, causing severe bleeding below the victim’s right eye.
MP Clement Apaak described the punishment meted out to the housemaster of Adisadel College as “improper.” He also argued that it was unnecessary for the authorities to have suspended the victim at the center of the assault. The video sparked public outrage, with many expressing concern over the safety and well-being of students at the school.
In response to the incident, both the perpetrator responsible for the assault and the victim were sent home. The culprit was expected to write his West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) from the West African Examinations Council’s (WAEC) center.
However, the victim was later called back to the school.
In an interview on Citi TV’s political show, the Big Issue on Saturday, July 29, Clement Apaak expressed shock over the suspension of the housemaster and he further argued that the incident might have happened on the blind side of the housemaster.
“I was shocked when I heard that the housemaster and the victim were suspended. The cause of action was not proper. How do you punish somebody who had already received this insane level of cruelty at the hands of a perpetrator? Because he didn’t report, I had an issue with that.
“I also had an issue with the decision to suspend the housemaster. I think that the decision to suspend the housemaster and the victim was improper. The incident might have happened on the blind side of the housemaster,” he pointed out.
The MP for Builsa South condemned the act, emphasizing that the victim could have died from being strangled.
“You could literally see the victim was almost passing out. You could think that the student who videoed or the witnesses would have tried to intervene or caution the student who was perpetrating this act of barbarism to stop. But invariably, he was being cheered on.
“The intent was obvious to cause harm, this could have led to a death or a murderous situation. Let no one make an excuse about the gravity and the consequences of what happened and, of course, it’s condemnable,” he asserted.
He applauded the school authorities for recalling the victim back to the school.
“The decision to bring back the victim and to investigate is in the right direction”.
Furthermore, the legislator suggested to housemasters in the various second-cycle schools to set up spies to check students who engage in deviant behaviours.
“I will urge housemasters to recruit spies in every house to be your eyes and ears and in the dormitories,” the MP opined.
Renowned Ghanaian music producer, Edward Nana Poku Osei, known as Hammer, has shed light on why rapper Sarkodie is now focusing on English in his music.
The producer believes that rapping in English expands an artiste’s reach, potentially increasing income and financial gains.
Hammer pointed out that rapping in local languages can restrict an artiste’s audience compared to English.
In a conversation with Kwame Dadzie on Joy FM, Hammer expressed that Sarkodie’s shift towards English rap could elevate his career and financial success.
“Vernacular is more marketable in singing than rapping because songs have melodies, while rap is driven by lyrics and beats. So the whole point about this thing is that Sarkodie has suffered out there. The reason why he has transformed into an English rapper is, that he has to move on because the vernacular rap will limit you.
“And so he has done well with this new album, ‘No Pressure.’ That was crazy English rap. I didn’t even think that Sarkodie could rap that much in English. I was very, very impressed,” he stated.
Five-time African player of the year Asisat Oshoala was delighted with her hat-trick in Barcelona’s 7-0 win over Levante as the Catalan side became the first team in football history to win 50 league games in a row.
The Nigeria international set up Ana Crnogorcevic early on before scoring three goals to help the hosts to a resounding victory at Estadio Johan Cruyff and to reach the impressive milestone.
Barcelona Femení’s winning streak in the league stretches back to June 2021 – when they lost to Atletico Madrid – while their three defeats in any competition during that time all came in Europe.
“It was a nice feeling to score my first hat-trick of the season and I’m so pleased that it helped the club achieve a league record,” Oshoala, 28, told BBC Sport Africa.
“Personal records count for less if it doesn’t lead to a team success, the team won and we did well.
“It was a great night for the club and I just hope to continue to make a great contribution for the rest of the season.”
With the victory Barcelona eclipsed Lyon Women’s 46-game winning streak in the French championship from December 2011 to January 2014.
The former Liverpool and Arsenal striker Oshoala is happy to play her part in the incredible run.
“It’s a good thing that we are able to achieve this together,” she added.
“I’m happy to be part of this history with this group and we know every team out there will only be extra motivated to stop us.
“It’s why we can celebrate now but start again in the next game with the same mentality and focus to achieve success.” she said.
Since opening the campaign with two goals against Benfica in the Women’s Champions League in October, Oshoala now has 13 for Barcelona who sit at the top of the Spanish Primera División with 45 points, They lead second-placed Levante by seven point and are eight ahead of ris Real Madrid.
Africa’s most decorated women’s footballer, Oshoala battled injury setbacks last season and was then ruled out of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in July after damaging knee ligaments in Nigeria’s opening game.
However, 20 league goals in Barcelona’s league title-winning campaign helped her place 16th of the 20 players shortlisted for the women’s Ballon d’Or, which was retained by her teammate Alexia Putellas of Spain.
In a bid to calm tensions over a lack of cash in Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari has announced that the old 200 naira ($0.43; £0.36) notes will remain legal tender for another 60 days.
In recent days there have been violent protests as people struggled to get hold of newly designed banknotes.
The deadline to hand in old cash was supposed to have been last Friday.
But not enough new notes have been released, leaving many without cash to pay for vital items.
While Nigerians now have until 10 April to use the old 200 naira notes, Mr Buhari said that the old 500 and 1,000 naira notes could only be exchanged at the central bank and other designated places.
Nigerians have faced long queues at cash machines, with some sleeping outside banks to try and be first in line to get some money.
People say they have been forced to skip meals and have been unable to pay for basic services like bus or taxi fares in a country where cash is still widely used. An estimated 40% of the population do not have access to bank accounts.
With elections due on 25 February, President Muhammadu Buhari has been facing calls to take action to avoid losing votes for the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Source: BBC
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The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, expressed deep disappointment over the continued tenure of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta after concluding negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
In the wake of Ghana’s economic crisis, the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, faced increasing pressure from members of the Majority Caucus in Parliament, who demanded his immediate removal from office.
However, President Akufo-Addo intervened, urging the caucus to hold off on their demand until the completion of crucial negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Months after the completion of the IMF deal, the President is yet to take action on the demand of the majority caucus.
Contributing to the debate on the Mid-Year Budget Review presented to Parliament, the MP for North Tongu stated that President Akufo-Addo cannot be trusted to keep his word.
“This Finance Minster has run out of ideas, totally mismanaged the economy, and given us the worst economic climate in our history and he should not be the one presenting budget statements, I must state for the record that this House is not oblivious of the fact the crisis we are in is self-inflicted and created by President Akufo-Addo and Bawumia.
“The president told us that the Finance Minster will leave after the IMF programme but the president has refused to show him the exit and that is very disappointing.”
He also described the failure of the Finance Minister to withdraw the taxes on sanitary pads in the mid-year budget review as insensitive.
“Ghanaian women had agitated strongly that this mid-year review should abolish taxes on sanitary pads and it is an embarrassment that such a gross human rights issue did not receive attention from the Finance Minister.”
The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture Development and Member of Parliament for the Awutu Senya East, Hawa Mavis Koosom is appealing to the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) to rescind its decision to boycott any activities involving her ministry.
This follows an alleged attack on the Cape Coast-based Cape FM’s journalist, Ohene Kwame David during the vetting of parliamentary aspirants of the NPP at Cape Coast last year December.
Due to that, President of the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA), Albert Kwabena Dwumfour at a press conference urged Journalists to give a total media blackout to Mavis Hawa Koomson and stay away from her as the Minister of State.
“This is after intel picked because we believe there are thugs around the MP who pose a threat to the lives of journalists and other media practitioners,” Albert Kwabena Dwumfour told journalists.
Hawa Responses
The MP, Hawa Koomson in her response rejected the claims that the attack emanated from her camp and requested for a deeper investigation into the matter. Press Secretary to the Minister, Kabore Awudu Moro in a statement said ‘’While unequivocally condemning the reported incident, the Honorable Minister vehemently denies all accusations leveled against her and her associates’’.
According to him, ‘’Acknowledging the vital role of the media in our democracy, the Minister is committed to fostering an environment that safeguards journalists in their duty. The Honourable Minister urges the GJA leadership to reconsider the blacklisting decision, emphasizing the absence of evidence implicating her in the incident’’. He said the Minister calls for trust in the Ghana Police Service’s ongoing investigation to apprehend the alleged attacker.
‘’In the spirit of collaboration, the Office of the Honourable Minister will initiate a dialogue with the GJA leadership in the coming days to address any misunderstandings and chart a way forward, fostering a constructive relationship between the Ministry and the media’’ the statement added.
NPP
In relationship to the incident, the Awutu Senya East New Patriotic Party has described as unfair the directive by the Ghana Journalists Association to journalists to blacklist activities involving Kasoa MP Mavis Hawa Koomson over an attack on a journalist at Cape Coast during the NPP’s vetting of parliamentary aspirants. The party insists the attack on the journalist was neither orchestrated nor carried out by the camp of the MP. Responding to the Ghana Journalists Association’s directive to journalists to blacklist the Kasoa MP, the leadership of the Awutu Senya East New Patriotic Party described the directive as unfair.
The Constituency Secretary, Michael Addy addressing a presser expressed disappointment over the fact that the MP’s office heard nothing again regarding the investigations after initial contact with the MP by the GJA.
He also expressed dissatisfaction about a statement made by the GJA president that the MP parades murderers who attack people even at their homes and mosques and wants that retracted and an apology rendered to the MP.
The Party has therefore called for much deeper investigations into the matter before any conclusions are made by the GJA as it says it has carried out an inward investigation at the MP’s camp and realized that no member of the MP’s team took part in that attack.
Finance Minister, Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam, who is also the Member of Parliament for Karaga, has taken decisive action to address the pressing issue confronting the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH).
In view of this, Dr. Adam donated 10 polytanks to augment water storage capacity and GHC 100,000 for the refurbishment of an obsolete underground tank.
These underground tanks, with storage capacities of 138.6 cubic meters and 65 cubic meters respectively, were decommissioned during Phase 1 of the TTH Project.
The refurbishment cost, estimated at GHS420,000 as of 2023, posed a significant financial burden, which the Minister has pledged to help alleviate.
Additionally, Dr Amin Adam promised to donate three dialysis machines to supplement the hospital’s current inventory.
During the finance minister’s working visit to the CEO of the Tamale Teaching Hospital, he announced that these machines would arrive in the country within three weeks, with delivery to the facility expected in a month.
Expressing gratitude for the generous donation, TTH CEO, Dr. Adam Atiku reiterated the hospital’s commitment to utilizing the contributions effectively.
Dr. Atiku emphasized the strain on existing machines due to the hospital’s monopoly market status in northern Ghana, underscoring the need for support from individuals and organizations to sustainably address these challenges.
Some relatives of these patients who spoke to Citi News said the water scarcity at the facility is unpleasant to cope with, especially for those coming from other parts of the country.
With Minister Adam’s intervention, TTH anticipates enhanced operational efficiency and improved healthcare delivery to the region.
The Tamale Teaching Hospital has over the years faced significant challenges, especially in water storage, which affected its operations.
Being the main referral centre for five regions in the North and neighbouring countries, TTH battled with severe water shortages and other issues that impacted its ability to provide essential healthcare services.
Patients as well as their relatives battled water problems at the Tamale teaching hospital for several years now, with some having to resort to buying water from outside or using sachet water to clean their patients who are on admission at the TTH.
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A Nigerian man, Usman Ahmad, has advised men to test their women’s tolerance level by cheating at least twice before marriage.
According to Ahmad, this allows men to gauge their partner’s emotional maturity and fear of God.
He suggests that this approach can provide insights into a woman’s character and ability to handle challenging situations in a relationship.
“Before you marry any woman, allow her to catch you cheating at least twice. That way you can be sure of her tolerance level and emotional maturity. That way you can be very sure if she has the fear of God and spirit of forgiveness. Real love is all about forgiveness,” he wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday, January 31.
Betty Kyallo shared some details about her private life, offering a rare insight into her relationship, which she has previously kept away from public view.
The media personality, who returned to mainstream media after an almost four-year hiatus, hinted at the possibility of getting married soon. Additionally, she mentioned being content and joyful in her current relationship with her partner, who originates from Western Kenya.
“My man is from the western region. I am now settled. I feel happy,” Kyallo said.
When questioned about the possibility of marriage, the mother of one was non-committal.
“We will see about that. I do not want to speak much about it and then something happens.”
Betty also disclosed that she is a submissive partner when in love, providing a rare glimpse into her personal life.
“Nikikupenda nafanya kila kitu. Napika, nakupiga magoti, massage nakufanyia. lakini yote ni kama nakupenda. Kama sikupendi siwezi fanya izo vitu zote,” she explained during an interview Saturday morning on Cape Media-owned Radio 47.
(When I love you, I do everything. I cook, I kneel, I massage you. But it’s all because I love you. If I don’t love you, I can’t do all those things)
As a prominent media personality and celebrity, Kyallo highlighted the necessity of cultivating resilience to navigate the challenges she encounters.
“You know I have been doing this for 13 years now. I have learned to develop a thick skin because some things which people go through privately I go through them in the public eye. It is not easy, but I find ways of getting by,” remarked the media personality.
Renowned American actor and film producer, Michael Bakari Jordan, has revealed his strong desire to visit Ghana, citing the country’s renowned hospitality and caring nature as major factors driving his interest.
In a video shared on X, Jordan expressed his excitement about exploring Ghana, a destination that has been on his radar for quite some time.
He disclosed that he has been captivated by the stories shared with him about the warmth and affectionate nature of Ghanaians, compelling him to experience it firsthand.
“Another place I can’t really wait to go is Ghana. My father has spent a lot of time there. For whatever reason, every time I try to go there, something that I cannot change pops up,” Jordan remarked, reflecting on his persistent desire to visit the West African nation.
He further revealed that his father’s experiences in Ghana have piqued his curiosity, fueling his eagerness to explore the country’s rich cultural heritage and unique charm.
“It’s a place where people tell me stories with similar feelings of love and affinity. So, I really want to go there,” Jordan emphasized, highlighting the deep sense of connection he feels towards Ghana.
As anticipation builds for his potential visit, fans and followers eagerly await Jordan’s journey to Ghana, anticipating the enriching experiences and cultural insights that lie ahead for the acclaimed actor.
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has admitted questioning his ability to drag the team out of their recent crisis.
While results have been largely positive for United – Erik ten Hag’s side are up to sixth after beating Aston Villa 3-2 – serious concerns over the team’s performances and ability to score goals have seen the pressure on everyone at Old Trafford ramped up.
Fernandes played an integral role in the comeback victory over Villa, after which he admitted periods of self-doubt during United’s struggles.
“The belief has to be there, because if you don’t believe in each other it’s going to be difficult,” he told Amazon Prime.
“Obviously in these last moments there’s going to be some disbelief, even in yourself. You start to think, ‘Am I even good enough to be here?’. It’s normal when things are not going right. It’s the way you overcome that and get results even when things are not going well.”
Fernandes worked hard against Villa / Naomi Baker/GettyImages
Fernandes also argued the recent minority takeover from Sir Jim Ratcliffe has not had much of an impact on the squad, who remain focused on their tasks at hand.
“It’s not going to change anything we do on then pitch, unless they put money [in] and bring some players for us,” Fernandes said of the new ownership group. “But it has to be us [that] makes the difference we need.
“The papers and social media…we see everything, it’s impossible not to. We know what the club is going through but we have to focus on what we can control and our performances.”
United now sit just five points off the top four and will hope to maintain this feeling of optimism when they face Nottingham Forest at the weekend.
Finally, the face behind the beloved educational handwriting tool, ‘My First Copy Book,’ that has helped dozens of Ghanaian to learn the alphabet and improve handwriting skills, has been revealed and Ghanaians are stunned.
Mrs Araba Swaniker has been revealed as the mystery child whose image has graced countless copies of the book thanks to a social media revelation by her sister, Franka-Maria.
According to Franka Maria, the original photograph was taken decades ago by an American photographer called Willis Eugene Bell who as at that time was a prominent figure in portrait photography.
In an effort to recreate the iconic image, the family enlisted the expertise of renowned Ghanaian photographer Ben Adu, who captured the captivating moment.
The photo shoot is a significant piece of documentation, unveiling the woman who unknowingly became the symbol of early education for generations of Ghanaian children.
A trending video on social media captures the moment a sekz worker publicly tackled her customer for refusing to pay her Ghs 30 service fee.
In the viral clip, the customer who had unbuttoned his shirt can be heard insisting he would never pay the Ghs 30 service fee because he didn’t ejaculate.
He explained that men who patronise sekz workers are only made to pay after ejaculating but in his case, he didn’t cum.
Despite his explanation, the aggressive sekz worker who had vowed heaven and earth to take her Ghs 30 service fee was tightly holding onto the customer’s faded and almost ripped-apart shirt.
Watch the video below to know more…
Netizens Reactions…
Nana Kofi Oppong – Masa don’t pay. No gree for anyone this year ooo
bossmantololo – don’t pay bro brotherhood dey your back
Ahead of go-time, many had already projected a packed Marine Drive as the only major competing show, had ended a day prior.
They were not wrong. Day 2 of Afro Nation was all fun for the patrons who were early birds. The stage was buzzing with energy as musicians took turns to serve them thrills on Friday.
Camidoh and KiDi provided scintillating performances. Black Sherif, also brought on a spirit-filled introduction and rode the tide until his time was up. It was a charged atmosphere that greeted Stonebwoy’s act as well.
However, as it neared midnight the gates of Afro Nation did not see the same level of excitement. The only energy at the entrances was chaos.
Pushing, pulling and shoving was a common sight as against the earlier-orderly process that ushered in Day 2 of the show.
The pressure from the mammoth crowd outside grew too intense for the guards to handle.
The were multiple instances of near-stampedes with dozens included women sustaining injuries in the process.
Dadju’s performance came off nonetheless. Amid the wailing of regretful revelers, some claiming to be VIP holders battled for their lives just for a chance to see Asake or Skepta.
There were also brief stand-offs between frustrated ticket holders and some security personnel putting pressure on the barricades.
News of the disturbing incidents finally reached the top hierarchy of the concert’s managers.
There was a long break after Dadju’s set as the show organisers tried to get the situation under control.
Eventually, one of the MCs Eddie Khadhi announced that the show was over due to the rate at which things have escalated.
He was in the company of co-MC Shopsydoo and Afro Nation co-founder, Smade.
The author, Kenneth Awotwe Darko is a journalist, music enthusiast and social media analyst.
Follow him on Twitter via @TheKennethDarko and on Facebook, Kenneth Awotwe Darko.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
The president of Ghana Nana Akufo-Addo has said that Ghana does not have any law that criminalizes persons practicing LGBTQ+.
One of the debatable topics in Ghana is the legalization of the LGBTQ+ bill which is currently before Parliament. Almost every Ghanaian has stood against the passing of the bill into law.
READ ALSO: Ignorance and misinformation – Afia Pokuaa reacts to “LGBTQI” lights at Jubilee House
While answering a question asked at the Jubilee House on Monday, March 27, 2023, when US Vice President Kamala Harris questioned him on the LGBTQI bill that is currently before Parliament and yet to be approved by the lawmakers.
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He said: “It hasn’t been passed, so the statement that there is legislation in Ghana to that effect is not accurate.
“Parliament is dealing with it and at the end of the process, I will come in.”
The anti-LGBTQ bill, titled, “The Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021”, was submitted to Parliament in June 2021.
READ ALSO: Kamala Harris ‘slams’ Ghana’s anti-LGBTQ bill as a threat to human rights
Ghnanais are currently worried about the ongoing discussions as many are of the opinion that the president will accept the bill to be passed into law due to the financial aid the US will be giving to the country.
Popular singer Stanley Omah Didia, known as Omah Lay, is thankful as he disclosed his sole regret of meeting his ex-girlfriend.
In a recent interview in London, United Kingdom, Omah Lay revealed this to BBC Radio Capital Xtra.
The artist, who was born in Port Harcourt, took pride in every choice he made as a teenager and said they helped to shape the person he is today.
However, he admitted to regretting his past relationship with one of his ex-girlfriends, Bright; wishing he had avoided someone like her in his life.
READ MORE: “I Cry Tire; I No Care Where You Go, Thank God You Came Back” – Zlatan Reacts To Oladips False Passing
In his words: “What my present self will tell myself ten years ago, I will say, ‘I’m proud of you, bro. I’m proud of all the decisions you’re making right now. I’m proud how hard you’re working right now because I know this whole thing didn’t start now.’
“It started a long time ago. I am 26, I started hustling since I was about 13. Yeah, I will say, ‘I’m proud of you. I’m proud of all the decisions you’ve made. Just keep doing it.’ I don’t think there is anything that I would have changed. Oh! I think one particular babe, her name is Bright. I would’ve dodged that babe. But it’s fine.”
Arsenal hold an interest in Bayern Munich’s Matthijs de Ligt, a new report has revealed, with Mikel Arteta confirming the club are prepared to spend in the January transfer window.
The Gunners have built on last season’s progress to once again position themselves as genuine title contenders – they topped the table heading into Christmas before Liverpool’s win over Burnley put them top of the pile on Boxing Day.
Thursday’s clash with West Ham at the Emirates Stadium gives Arsenal the opportunity to grab top spot back, but Arteta is missing a number of players through either injury or suspension. Thomas Partey, Fabio Vieira, Jurrien Timber and Takehiro Tomiyasu are all on the treatment table, while Kai Havertz is banned after picking up five yellow cards.
Bayern Munich centre-back De Ligt is a long-term defensive target, The Athletic report, alongside Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck and Jeremie Frimpong, who 90min previously revealed have been scouted in the Bundesliga this season.
De Ligt isn’t thought to be a viable target in January – he is just 17 months into a five-year deal at Bayern and cost the club upwards of £60m when joining from Juventus – but there may be potential to negotiate in the future as the Dutchman isn’t a regular starter in Bavaria because he’s battling Dayot Upamecano and Kim Min-jae for a place in Thomas Tuchel’s side.
Nonetheless, Arteta admitted in his pre-match media duties that Arsenal will look to act in the window if they feel the right deal is available, hinting that injuries to versatile players – Timber and Tomiyasu can play anywhere across the back line – has hindered his side the most.
Mikel Arteta admits Arsenal will make a signing if they feel it’s the right thing to do / Michael Regan/GettyImages
“At the moment, it is very difficult. We are really short,” Arteta admitted. “We have positions that we have been very exposed for the last six weeks and hopefully we are going to get players back. In what condition and when?
“That’s a question mark and as well because we have some long-term injuries still for certain players that give us a lot of versatility and that’s an issue. We have certain targets, ideas if things happen. As well, we don’t know how the squad is going to look in two weeks’ time and you have to be always prepared for that.
“But it is a very, very tricky market that shifts very quickly and it is quite unpredictable as well – and you have to be prepared. We will be prepared and we will try to make the right calls. If there is something that we can [do to] improve the squad and that needs appear, and we cannot fulfil it with players here, we are always going to be open to do that because we want to be stronger.”
The Gunners spent more than £200m on new signings in the summer, forking out a club-record £105m on Declan Rice in addition to signing Timber and Havertz, in a bid to build on last season’s runner-up finish in the Premier League.
Over 122 million more people are facing hunger in the world since 2019 due to the pandemic and repeated weather shocks and conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, according to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report published today jointly by five United Nations specialized agencies.
If trends remain as they are, the Sustainable Development Goal of ending hunger by 2030 will not be reached, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) warn.
A wake-up call for the fight against hunger
The 2023 edition of the report reveals that between 691 and 783 million people faced hunger in 2022, with a mid-range of 735 million. This represents an increase of 122 million people compared to 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
While global hunger numbers have stalled between 2021 and 2022, there are many places in the world facing deepening food crises. Progress in hunger reduction was observed in Asia and Latin America, but hunger was still on the rise in Western Asia, the Caribbean and throughout all subregions of Africa in 2022. Africa remains the worst-affected region with one in five people facing hunger on the continent, more than twice the global average.
“There are rays of hope, some regions are on track to achieve some 2030 nutrition targets. But overall, we need an intense and immediate global effort to rescue the Sustainable Development Goals. We must build resilience against the crises and shocks that drive food insecurity-from conflict to climate, said UN Secretary-General António Guterres through a video message during the launch of the report at the UN Headquarters in New York.
The heads of the five UN agencies, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu; IFAD President Alvaro Lario; UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell; WFP’s Executive Director Cindy McCain; and WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus write in the report’s Foreword: “No doubt, achieving the Sustainable Development Goal target of Zero Hunger by 2030 poses a daunting challenge. Indeed, it is projected that almost 600 million people will still be facing hunger in 2030. The major drivers of food insecurity and malnutrition are our “new normal”, and we have no option but to redouble our efforts to transform agrifood systems and leverage them towards reaching the Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2) targets.”
Beyond hunger
The food security and nutrition situation remained grim in 2022. The report finds that approximately 29.6 percent of the global population, equivalent to 2.4 billion people, did not have constant access to food, as measured by the prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity. Among them, around 900 million individuals faced severe food insecurity.
Meanwhile, the capacity of people to access healthy diets has deteriorated across the world: more than 3.1 billion people in the world – or 42 percent – were unable to afford a healthy diet in 2021. This represents an overall increase of 134 million people compared to 2019.
Millions of children under five continue to suffer from malnutrition: in 2022, 148 million children under five years of age (22.3 percent) were stunted, 45 million (6.8 percent) were wasted, and 37 million (5.6 percent) were overweight.
Progress has been seen in exclusive breastfeeding with 48 percent of infants under 6-months of age benefiting from this practice, close to the 2025 target. However, more concerted efforts will be required to meet the 2030 malnutrition targets.
New evidence: Urbanization is driving changes in agrifood systems
The report also looks at increased urbanization as a ‘megatrend’ affecting how and what people eat. With almost seven in ten people projected to live in cities by 2050, governments and others working to tackle hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition must seek to understand these urbanization trends and account for them in their policymaking.
In particular, the simple rural and urban divide concept is no longer sufficient to understand the ways in which urbanization is shaping agrifood systems. A more complex rural-urban continuum perspective is needed considering both the degree of connectivity that people have and types of connections that exist between urban and rural areas.
For the first time, this evolution is documented systematically across eleven countries. The report illustrates that food purchases are significant not only among urban households but also across the rural-urban continuum, including those residing far from urban centers. The new findings also show how consumption of highly processed foods is also increasing in peri-urban and rural areas of some countries.
Unfortunately, spatial inequalities remain. Food insecurity affects more people living in rural areas. Moderate or severe food insecurity affected 33 percent of adults living in rural areas and 26 percent in urban areas.
Children’s malnutrition also displays urban and rural specificities: the prevalence of child stunting is higher in rural areas (35.8 percent) than in urban areas (22.4 percent). Wasting is higher in rural areas (10.5 percent) than in urban areas (7.7 percent), while overweight is slightly more prevalent in urban areas (5.4 percent) compared to rural areas (3.5 percent).
The report recommends that to effectively promote food security and nutrition, policy interventions, actions and investments must be guided by a comprehensive understanding of the complex and changing relationship between the rural-urban continuum and agrifood systems.
What they said
FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu: “Recovery from the global pandemic has been uneven, and the war in Ukraine has affected the nutritious food and healthy diets. This is the ‘new normal’ where climate change, conflict, and economic instability are pushing those on the margins even further from safety. We cannot take a business-as-usual approach.”
IFAD President, Alvaro Lario: “A world without hunger is possible. What we are missing is the investments and political will to implement solutions at scale. We can eradicate hunger if we make it a global priority. Investments in small-scale farmers and in their adaptation to climate change, access to inputs and technologies, and access to finance to set up small agribusinesses can make a difference. Small-scale producers are part of the solution. Properly supported, they can produce more food, diversify production, and supply both urban and rural markets – feeding rural areas and cities nutritious and locally grown food.’’
UNICEF Executive Director, Catherine Russell: “Malnutrition is a major threat to children’s survival, growth and development. The scale of the nutrition crisis demands a stronger response focused on children, including prioritizing access to nutritious and affordable diets and essential nutrition services, protecting children and adolescents from nutrient-poor, ultra-processed foods, and strengthening food and nutrition supply chains including for fortified and therapeutic foods for children.”
WFP Executive Director, Cindy McCain: “Hunger is rising while the resources we urgently need to protect the most vulnerable are running dangerously low. As humanitarians, we are facing the greatest challenge we’ve ever seen. We need the global community to act swiftly, smartly, and compassionately to reverse course and turn the tide on hunger. At WFP, we are committed to working with all our partners – both old and new – to create a world where no one questions when their next meal will come.”
WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus: “Child wasting remains unacceptably high and there has been no progress in reducing child overweight. We need targeted public policies, investments and actions to create healthier food environments for all.”
Notes to the editor: the SOFI report
The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World is an annual report jointly prepared by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Since 1999, it monitors and analyses the world’s progress towards ending hunger, achieving food security and improving nutrition. It also provides an in-depth analysis of key challenges for achieving these goals in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The report targets a wide audience, including policymakers, international organizations, academic institutions and the general public.
This year’s theme is aligned with the UN General Assembly “New Urban Agenda” and will complement and guide the discussions at the 2023 High Level Political Forum – particularly on sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11), and especially during the three-day ministerial segment of the forum held from 17 to 19 July 2023 and in the lead-up to the SDG Summit in September.
Nollywood actress, Iyabo Ojo has received praise from her colleagues over her fight for late singer, Mohbad.
Kemi Filani reported hours ago that Iyabo had paid a visit to former Marlian in-house DJ,DJ Splash.
The former DJ, who is mentally unstable, narrated his ordeals in the hands of Naira Marley and his gang and how he met the singer.
He disclosed how Naira Marley introduced him to a different life and had plotted to make him mad after he informed him of his decision to start singing aside the DJ job. Read more here.
Many celebrities like Ufuoma McDermott, Dorcas Fapson, Susan Peters, and more were left stunned by his shocking revelation as they applauded Iyabo Ojo for fighting for justice.
Ufuoma McDermott wrote, “Of a truth, the pøor become prey for the affluent. Please if you ever find yourself in any position of power do good. Well done Iyabo Ojo
Susan Peters wrote, “So he was using these boys as Guinea pigs for testing his stuff for the market. Ah oluwa ooo, no matter the person backing you all have eh, justice must be served. Ko ni da fun gbo gbo yin, boys were working for their money but they were not eating na the broomstick dey eat everything
Empress Njamah wrote, “What a world we live in, very sad and heartbreaking
Kaffy wrote, “God bless you sis
Temitope Arugba wrote, “Ikunle Abiamooo
Tayo Adeniyi wrote, “Thank you mama for taking this task. May God help him get the rehabilitation he needs to heal and get back to himself.
Since the news of Mohbad’s demise, Iyabo Ojo has been a strong advocate for him demanding justice for the late singer.
The mother of two had even gone as far as promising to believe in and support APC, if they can get justice for the late singer, Mohbad.
Anyone who has been a follower of the actress knows how much she disdains the All Progressive Congress (APC), so for her to switch sides, shows how far she can go to get justice for the young deceased.
In an Instagram Live session days back, Iyabo Ojo recounted how Naira Marley rejected one of her adopted sons when she took him to get signed under his label.
According to her, Naira Marley had rejected signing her adopted son on the basis that he was selective of the songs he does on his label. Probably the singer rejected him because of his fear for the actress.
Idris Elba does not want to be defined or constrained. The celebrated actor is getting candid about his thoughts on race, racism and equality in Hollywood.
Speaking with Esquire U.K. while promoting his forthcoming film, Luther: The Fallen Sun, Elba opened up about how he no longer refers to himself as a “Black actor,” and prefers to just be considered on the merits of his talent.
“I stopped describing myself as a Black actor when I realized it put me in a box,” Elba shared. “We’ve got to grow. We’ve got to. Our skin is no more than that: it’s just skin.”
Elba explained, “of course, I’m a member of the Black community. You say a prominent one. But when I go to America, I’m a prominent member of the British community.”
“If we spent half the time not talking about the differences but the similarities between us, the entire planet would have a shift in the way we deal with each other. As humans, we are obsessed with race. And that obsession can really hinder people’s aspirations, hinder people’s growth,” Elba reflected.
“Racism should be a topic for discussion, sure. Racism is very real. But from my perspective, it’s only as powerful as you allow it to be.”
For Elba, his initial motivation for becoming an actor wasn’t anchored in representation or equality, but for the love of the art.
“I didn’t become an actor because I didn’t see Black people doing it and I wanted to change that. I did it because I thought that’s a great profession and I could do a good job at it,” he said. “As you get up the ladder, you get asked what it’s like to be the first Black to do this or that. Well, it’s the same as it would be if I were white. It’s the first time for me. I don’t want to be the first Black. I’m the first Idris.”
He does, however, hope to be an inspiration for young people interested in acting and getting into Hollywood.
“I accept that it is part of my journey to be aware that, in many cases, I might be the first to look like me to do a certain thing. And that’s good, to leave as part of my legacy,” he shared. “So that other people, Black kids, but also white kids growing up in the circumstances I grew up in, are able to see there was a kid who came from Canning Town who ended up doing what I do. It can be done.”
Luther: The Fallen Sun hits theatres in limited release on Feb. 24, and debuts on Netflix on Mar. 10.
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Revolutionary artiste, Emmanuel Owusu Bonsu, popularly known as Wanlov the Kubolor, says he does not feel there is a strong candidate worth voting for in the upcoming 2024 general elections.
The musician who said he has not participated in any of Ghana’s electoral processes, stated that he sees voting as a mere fun engagement, because candidates keep saying the same things without making real changes.
He believes they are all the same, mainly interested in getting contracts rather than making things better.
Speaking on the AM Show, he said that the country’s leaders are not effectively addressing issues, particularly the poor quality of roads due to the use of substandard materials.
He stressed that the Tema Motorway, meant as a major highway, should never undergo repairs with subpar tools and materials.
“The road is in bad condition and is still not fixed.
“The leaders are not thinking about the roads, they’re just thinking about contracts, because if they want a road that will last and serve Ghanaians, they will be thinking about concrete.”
He emphasised that the candidates that often come forward to be elected into office are of the same motivation, essentially aiming to trade contracts for the continuation of existing issues.
”The candidate and the people we usually have as options are the same kind of people who are like basically just going to exchange contracts on the same things going on.
“I don’t feel there’s a strong option to vote for anyone.”
THE GHANA Grid Company (GRIDCO) says government has given assurance of its readiness to pay the over GH¢2.7 billion debt owed it by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Northern Electricity Company (NEDCo) despite the challenges facing the power distributor.
At a press briefing on the state of GRIDCO at the Ministry of Information’s ‘State of the Agencies Report’ yesterday in Accra, the Chief Executive Officer of GRIDCO, Ing. Ebenezer Kofi Essienyi, said some challenges facing the two companies affected its revenue collection, thereby resulting in some debts.
“However, there has been massive improvement as ECG revenue collection has improved from collection which was below 20 percent to about 55 percent since 2020 after ECG and its partners embarked on several modalities to enhance its operations. There are a lot we can achieve together, like my chief said, if we are able to build a robust infrastructure; if ECG is able to plug its commercial losses; and if the collection rates goes up.”
He said, “This amount owed by the two entities is a legacy debt, and this is debt that has been accrued for over 20 years plus, since the inception of the relationship between these two companies started.”
Power Supply Chain
According to him, in the power ue chain, GRIDCO, the transmitter carries the power to ECG, which is the distributor.
After they are served and the money is collected, they in turn send it to the ue chain operators or the players but historically, there have been some challenges as ECG has made some commercial losses in terms of collection.
He also stated that apart from the challenges facing the company such as overgrowth, encroachment and galamsey operations, the company has also chalked some successes in its operations over the years.
These, he stated, included the provision of “65 substations in 2021 to 68 in 2022, upgrading the transformer capacity from 8,901.8 MVA to 9,642 MVA and also the improvement in transmission lines to 7200.5 kilometres.
He, however, appealed to Ghanaians to support the company especially, people living in areas where farmlands and properties were affected to bear with the company as it made efforts to extend its network to all parts of the country.
Former President John Mahama has asked the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) to clearly state its opposition to his promise to scrap the payment of ex-gratia.
According to him, the NPP and its members cannot play hide and seek with his promise and thus must explicitly disclose its support or opposition to same for the Ghanaian people to know.
Mr Mahama said the scrapping of the ex-gratia is an issue that is of utmost importance to the citizenry and any party or presidential candidate should let their views on it known.
Delivering the keynote address at a programme organised on Wednesday, March on the theme “Financing political campaigns in Ghana we want: A case for more transparent and broad-based citizen participation” Mr Mahama said he will do whatever he can to scrap the payment to the Executive and also persuade the other arms or government to do same.
“Let me state once again that I will scrap the payment of ex-gratia to members of the Executive and persuade other arms of government to accept same.
“Let those who oppose the scrapping of ex-gratia state so explicitly instead of moving in meandering contours in a failed attempt to trivialize this important promise.”
Mr Mahama also reassured that the country can be governed with 60 ministers and deputy ministers.
Mr Mahama said this ensures the efficient use of the country’s limited resources for the betterment of all Ghanaians.
According to him, this will ensure that the disparities in privileges enjoyed by these political officeholders would be minimised.
“We plan to take up and conclude the constitution review process that started under President John Evans Atta Mills. The reforms will include a review of the controversial Article 71.
“I still believe that in this crisis period, Ghana can be managed with not more than 60 ministers.
“And to cut down on the number of officeholders and remove the disparities in privileges and emoluments.”
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Nigerian singer, Gabriel Oche Amanyi, popularly known as Terry G, has called out the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, over alleged debt.
INFORMATION NIGERIA learnt that Terry G was one of the artistes that campaigned for President Bola Tinubu during the election and performed at the pre-inauguration concert at the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, in May.
In a post via Instagram on Tuesday, the veteran singer claimed that some persons hijacked the money he was supposed to get for campaigning for APC, he had handed over the matter to God.
He wrote: “For the people or whoever wey chop the money I worked for this APC campaign matters so.
READ MORE: Terry G Links Up With Portable for New Music Project (Video)
“Make he no worry say nothing don do them o. I leave am to God. It’s only a matter of time.”
In another video shared on his social media page, Terry G said he almost broke his waist during the campaign as they toured different states campaigning for Tinubu.
He reiterated that Tinubu had released the money, but some persons have refused to pay him for the job.
See video here:
I’m yet to get paid by APC for my campaign work. – Terry G
Nigerian singer, Gabriel Oche Amanyi, popularly known as Terry G, has called out the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, over alleged debt.
Recall that Terry G was one of the artistes that performed at President Bola… pic.twitter.com/emDNbt1Bv2
A woman has recently gone viral on social media for showcasing her derriere and camel toe while squatting in the car. Her unusual and daring poses have garnered the attention of millions of people online.
The woman in question has taken her daring poses to an entirely new level, by performing them right in the driver’s seat.
Her boldness has been applauded by many, who have taken to Twitter to comment on her incredible figure and daredevil attitude.
Marie-Claire Rupio Atsu, wife of Christian Atsu has paid tribute to her late husband at his pre-burial service at the forecourt of the State House.
The tribute was read by the late footballer’s sister, Christiana Atsupie Twasam as Mrs. Atsu could not control her tears when she climbed the podium.
“Lying before me today is the mortal remains of a beloved father and husband. I knew little that morning that God is going to call you home. In life, I love you dearly. In death I do the same. It breaks my heart to lose you. You did not go alone. For part of me went with you.”
“Your love is still my guide, and though I cannot see you. You are always on my side. You were always so full of life. You seemed to be immortal. Your smile, your love, I see you in our children’s smile. You are never really gone as part of you is within them. You are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure. But as you always say, God win. In Love, your wife.”
The footballer died in a devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit parts of Turkey and Syria on February 6, 2023.
Atsu’s lifeless body was retrieved from the wreckage in Turkey after an 11-storey building collapsed on him and others.
His body was brought to Ghana on Sunday, February 19, 2023, from Turkey.
Since then, government representatives, members of the football community, colleagues, supporters, and Ghanaians, in general, have been offering their condolences to the bereaved family as tributes to the hero continue to pour in.
Some former Black Stars players visited the family house of late Christian Atsu to sign the book of condolence opened in memory of the late footballer.
Asamoah Gyan, Sulley Muntari, Agyeman Badu and Haminu Dramani were all present at the family house of Atsu in the early hours of Tuesday, February 21, 2023.
Christian Atsu Twasam (10 January 1992- 6 February 2023) was a Ghanaian professional footballer who primarily played as a winger, although he was also deployed as an attacking midfielder or left back.
Atsu began his career with Porto, also spending a season on loan at Rio Ave. In 2013, he was signed by Chelsea for £3.5 million, who subsequently loaned him to Vitesse Arnhem, Everton, AFC Bournemouth and Málaga.
After spending the 2016–17 season on loan at Newcastle United, he completed a permanent transfer to the club in May 2017.
Following the end of his four-year contract, he played for Al Raed in Saudi Arabia and Hatayspor in Turkey, where he died in the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake at age 31.
A full international with 65 caps from 2012 to 2019, Atsu represented Ghana at the 2014 FIFA World Cup and four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments.
He helped the team finish as runners-up at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, in which he also won Player of the Tournament and Goal of the Tournament.
Youth and Sports Minister Yussif Mustpaha has told Parliament that every Cedi spent on the 2023 African Games will be accounted for.
Yussif Mustapha said the government spent according to the budgetary allocation for the games.
The government allocated some 230 million dollars for the three-week games hosted in Accra.
Yussif Mustapha took on the Minority caucus for not congratulating Ghana’s athletes for the medals they won during the games.
“Every Cedi used for the games is going to be accounted for. And I just want you to know that every penny is going to be accounted for, be rest assured.
“You should rather be congratulating Team Ghana, because so far we have not seen the Minority issuing any statement congratulating the sportsmen and women who fought very hard in lifting the flag of our country very high. And neither has the leadership of the Minority issued any statement.”
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Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, has issued a strong caution to Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, highlighting the imperative of collaboration with the Minority side to avert legislative standstills.
Expressing disappointment with the Majority Leader’s inability to ensure the presence of his members during the ongoing 2024 budget debate, Bagbin characterized Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu’s performance as “limping.”
The Speaker attributed the lacklustre performance of the Majority to the shifting allegiances within the New Patriotic Party (NPP) after the party’s presidential primaries.
Observing that Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is now the NPP’s flagbearer, Bagbin noted that loyalties are transitioning away from the incumbent, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
Bagbin argued that this shift in allegiances has led NPP MPs to neglect their responsibilities and treat President Akufo-Addo as a “lame duck” president.
To address this issue, the Speaker urged the Majority Leader to prioritize cooperation with the Minority side, emphasizing that without this collaboration, the legislative process would suffer.
“I expect the majority who have a limping majority leader, limping because when you look at his back you’re less than those in front of you. You have a lame duck president, a lame duck because you have elected a flagbearer and loyalty and commitment are shifting.
“So, your president is now a lame duck president. You need this side of the house to support you to finish your eight years,” Mr. Bagbin cautioned.
“And so if you don’t behave well, we have difficulty in proceeding as a nation…please, I expect you to cooperate; I will not allow them to bully you. You’ll get sufficient time to put across your case,” he stressed.
Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on November 4, 2023, was elected as flagbearer of the ruling New Patriotic Party ahead of the 2024 general election.
Prior to the NPP’s presidential primaries, Dr Bawumia enjoyed wide support and endorsement from members of the majority caucus with some members reportedly lobbying for his running mate slot.
Popular businesswoman, Sandra Iheuwa has disclosed how she’s being chased up and down by billionaires despite having 4 kids from different men, as she penned down powerful advice to single moms around the globe.
The pretty socialite, it will be remembered, is a baby mama to Ubi Franklin, and an ex to the popular businessman, Steve Thompson.
Her past relationships had produced four kids. She hasn’t made any revelation as to whether she’s currently seeing someone.
She used her social media page to lavishly compliment herself.
Sandra revealed that despite having four kids, there are many men chasing after her, and many of them are billionaires.
After making this revelation, she inspired other single mothers worldwide to not let their circumstances hold them back.
READ MORE: Iyabo Ojo Composes Song For Wizkid After He Gifted Hypeman N20M (Video)
She penned …
“I’m a mother of 4….men dey rush me no just men….Billionaires. #Nocap.
As a single mother, do not limit yourself, do better and be better and things will fall into place”
THE ASANTEHENE, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has described the New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, as a humble and respectful person.
According to the Asante Monarch, despite occupying the revered vice presidential seat for nearly eight years, Dr. Bawumia hasn’t changed as he is still humble and respectful.
The Asantehene has, therefore, admonished the NPP presidential candidate to continue to remain humble and respectful to all manner of people whom he would have an encounter with.
“I know you. You have not changed, and I will urge you to continue to be humble and respectful to all manner of people who will come your way as you explain your vision to transform Ghana to them,” he said.
Otumfuo made the comments when Dr. Bawumia led his campaign team and other NPP members to pay a courtesy call on the Asantehene at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.
Dr. Bawumia’s visit to the palace on Wednesday morning, which was the last day of his three-day campaign tour of the Ashanti Region, also offered him the opportunity to seek Otumfuo’s blessings for his presidential ambition.
Bawumia’s Competence
The Asantehene also stated that he knows that Dr. Bawumia has what it takes to lead the country as President but he was quick to advise him to work hard towards his dream.
“I know you very well and I know you can work as President,” Otumfuo pointed out, and added that “I will pray for you,” reiterating that Dr. Bawumia should explain his policies to the citizenry.
“You have disclosed your vision to transform Ghana to me here today and I will encourage you to visit the nook and cranny of the country and thoroughly explain your vision to the people,” he said.
He said President Akufo-Addo saw something special in Dr. Bawumia so he appointed him as his running mate and eventually Vice President, and that alone shows the competence of Dr. Bawumia.
Otumfuo also urged Dr. Bawumia to let the people know what the present NPP administration could not do ‘and tell them what your plans are to make things better for the country and its people’.
“Tell the people what the present NPP government couldn’t do in political office and what your own plans are to transform the country as President and that would boost people’s trust in you,” he said.
Prays for Bawumia
The Asantehene assured Dr. Bawumia of his support and prayers even as he campaigns across the 16 regions of the country for votes ahead of the December 7 election.
Ghana Needs Development
The Asantehene observed that even though President Akufo-Addo’s government has done its best, more work is needed to be done to help expedite the transformation of the country.
“Ghana needs development and transformation, the Akufo-Addo’s government has done its part, yet there is more work to be done since the country cannot be fully developed in a day.
“No government can transform Ghana in a single day. Development is a continuous process, so successive governments come and do their best and go,” Otumfuo indicated.
Bawumia Campaign Team
He also advised members of the Dr. Bawumia’s campaign team not to forcibly push their wishes and wants on the NPP flagbearer, adding that “you should rather correct him when he is going wayward.”
Nollywood actor and filmmaker, Kolawole Ajeyemi has reassured his wife of his love for her as she celebrates her 43rd birthday today.
Taking to his Instagram page to share a photo of his Queen, who he called his Iyawo (which means wife), he professed his love for her.
The father of two said a word of prayer for his wife as he prayed for her burden to be removed.
“Happy birthday Iyawo Mi. I pray that as you celebrate today may every burden in your life be removed IJN (Amen). Love you, babe”.
“I am 63 minus 20 years old” Toyin Abraham announces as she marks birthday
His wife on her part, had released stunning white-themed photos to mark her day.
Toyin Abraham looked all shades of angelic in her white outfit as she announced that she is 60 minus 20 years old.
“I am 63 minus 20 years old today”.
The likes of Kunle Afod, Juliet Ibrahim, Debbie Shokoya, and Sunmbo Adeoye took to her comment section to celebrate with her.
Bukola Arugba reveals the things she loves about Toyin Abraham as she marks birthday
Her colleague and friend, Bukola Arugba had listed out the many reasons why she loves her colleague, Toyin Abraham.
She praised Toyin for being smart, intelligent, brave, and super talented, and she revealed that she loves how determined, strong-willed, humourous, free-spirited, lively, and entertaining Toyin Abraham is.
Bukola added that she loves their talks, the way Toyin loves her, and many more, as she prayed for the celebrant.
A Nigerian music critic and a certified hater of Davido’s music has become the centre of attention after making a ridiculous remark regarding Davido’s loss at the 2024 Grammy Awards.
It is worth noting that Davido was nominated in three categories for the 66th edition of the famous event, but lost all of them to other artists as reported by ghpage.com.
In response to the Grammy Awards loss, a music critic known as @Evidosk1 on the X platform expressed joy over the singer’s poor circumstances.
According to him, it makes him happier to watch Davido lose the prestigious award than to see himself succeed in life.
In his words, “Thank you Jesus. i prefer this Davido’s loss over my own success.”
The statement sparked a flood of replies from social media users, many of whom expressed extreme hatred for the artist.
The National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB) has issued a warning that releasing music videos, skits, and films without its classification is an offence.
The NFVCB’s classification system assigns age ratings and content advisories to audiovisual content, aiding families in making informed viewing choices and protecting children from unsuitable material.
NFVCB Director-General, Shaibu Husseini, in an earlier interview with Nigeria’s Daily Post, announced that the Board’s classification requirements have now been extended to include music videos and skits.
In a statement on Wednesday, Mr. Husseini warned content creators against the distribution of unclassified material.
“It is also an offence to distribute or exhibit any film or video content, musical videos, and skits on any platform without recourse to the National Film and Video Censors Board for classification,” Mr. Husseini stated.
“We are collaborating with relevant security agencies to track any individuals and production companies involved to make sure they face the full wrath of the law,” he added
The board also condemned the promotion and distribution of same-sex content on the internet, emphasising that it is illegal to publicly exhibit same-sex relationships in Nigeria.
The NFVCB’s actions underscore its commitment to regulating the audiovisual industry and ensuring that content distributed within the country adheres to established standards and legal requirements.
Actress and entrepreneur Salma Mumin has said that she is no longer a slay queen.
She says she left that league after the meaning of the word changed from a woman who looks good to a young runs girl.
Salama Mumin believes that she engaged in legitimate businesses that fetch her money to support her lifestyle and therefore should not be in the league of “Slay Queens”.
“I like good life, when slay queen started it was people who could dress but all of a sudden I heard the meaning had changed so I had to refrain from it. I’m not a runs girl. All my life I’ve worked but people see me work and still decide not to believe that my work can help me look good this way,” she said.
“I’m stating for a fact that my food and clothing business funded my lifestyle,” she added.
Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Juaboso has indicated that currently there hasn’t been a conversation on organ donation in parliament.
Akandoh’s statement underscores the importance of parliamentary deliberation on matters that have significant implications such as organ donations and harvesting in Ghana.
Speaking on GhanaWeb TV’s Lowdown, Mintah Akandoh this development is surprising to him.
“Well, we had a conversation to the best of my knowledge,” he said.
According to him, a more in-depth and focused dialogue within parliament is necessary.
He acknowledged the role of public discourse in shaping policies and legislation, highlighting that many significant laws begin with discussions in the public domain.
“I am a bit surprised and kudos to some of you who are bringing it to the front burner for all of us to discuss it and then start the process.
“Most laws start this way. They start with a conversation in the public domain and then we fine-tune it and then it gets to parliament for it to be passed into law,” he added.
Source: ghanaweb.com
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Flagbearer for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has told the people of Ghana that he has to be made President because he has worked hard as a Vice President.
He says comparatively, he has worked harder than any other Vice President the country has had in the fourth republic hence the need for him to be given the mantle.
Dr Mahamudu Bawumia was speaking at the Youth Connect in the Ashanti Region when he made this known.
“The reason why I want to become President is that I’ve worked so hard as a Vice President. My work speaks for itself. If you compare the various Vice Presidents under the Fourth Republic, you can tell that my work rate stands out.
If you ask John Mahama to point out even one policy initiative he spearheaded as Vice President he can’t point out. I have 33 policies I’ve spearheaded. So the score is 33-0. So please promote me to become president because I’ve passed as Vice President,” he said to a charged crowd in the Ashanti Region.
The Vice President reiterated the fact that he has eight years to seek the mandate of the people while John Dramani Mahama has four years.
To him, he stands to be more accountable for his actions since he will still need the people of Ghana when he seeks their mandate in 2028. Therefore, he believes it is best to vote for someone who will be accountable than someone who has asked for a honeymoon even though he has just four years to be president.
There is a looming danger that poses a death trap for innocent pregnant and nursing mothers who frequently patronize Ghana’s premier Kole Bu Teaching Hospital for healthcare attention as its maternity block is now a point of death due to its devastating nature.
Since its commissioning about five decades ago, the facility has not undergone any major renovation, and officials of the hospital remain grossly adamant and unconcern about the block which is near its feet, creating a grave danger that poses a death trap for both innocent pregnant and nursing mothers who frequently patronise the facility.
Patrons’ especially pregnant and nursing mothers on several occasions have raised alarm over the fragility and cracks which have boldly been developed all over the building.
According to the patrons, several concerns were raised to authorities of the hospital for the necessary remedies to be administered but all fell on deaf ears where the magnitude of the cracks are such that, pregnant and nursing mothers have to say their last prayers whenever they visit the facility.
The building has reached a point where almost all the mosquito nets have been removed mostly pushing patrons to either bring in their mosquito nets to keep their babies safe to avoid being bitten by the dozens of mosquitos and dangerous insects and reptiles that have comfortably found the maternity block as their everlasting abode.
The toilets are in a very disdainful and awful state that makes it uncomfortable for mothers to use whenever they visit the block as the toilet seats, plumbing and drainage systems are very horrible to witness. The tiles on most of the floors at the block have been in very bad condition for years without any attention given to the block.
A frustrated and livid staff chided the Board and Management of the Kole Bu Teaching Hospital for their gross ineptitude in seeing to the rapid deterioration of the building while they focused on unnecessary activities which do not merit the well-being of their clients.
The staff also took the president and his appointees to cleaners over what she termed as an ‘empty-condemned’ bunch of incompetent executives who instead of focusing on addressing a major challenge like fixing the maternity block, are putting up over $ 300million Bank of Ghana headquarters for their selfish political aggrandizement to the detriment of the masses.
Madam Josephine Yeboah a sixty-two-year-old pensioner who came to visit a relative who was on admission at the block, could not hide her displeasure, saying this was her third visit within ten years and still come to meet the same bad condition that the maternity block had a decade ago.
She could not fathom why governments both past and present turn a blind eye to such an important facility which serves as a life-saving point for newborn babies and their mothers but rather spend on irrelevant projects just to satisfy their means as they can afford to cost of medical expenses outside the country.
Most patients who were on admission at the time of filing this report appealed to the government to as a matter of urgency attend to the maternity block by ensuring that the building is renovated to enable avert a near-foreseen disaster.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) attention was drawn to immediately call authorities of the Kole Bu Teaching Hospital to order relating to the deplorable state of the building to help save innocent lives.
Efforts to reach out to authorities especially the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the hospital to comment on this revelation prove futile with a flimsy excuse by a staff of the PR department that his boss has been engaged and would not be able to attend to reporters on this matter.
Mobile money (momo) is a popular payment method in Ghana, and there are a number of ways to make money online and withdraw to momo. Here are five of the best ways:
1. Trade on Binance. Binance is a cryptocurrency exchange that allows you to buy, sell, and trade cryptocurrencies. You can make money on Binance by trading cryptocurrencies, staking coins, or participating in airdrops. Once you make money on Binance, you can withdraw it to your momo account.
2. Buy and sell on Yellow Card. Yellow Card is a cryptocurrency exchange that allows you to buy and sell cryptocurrencies with Ghanaian cedis. You can make money on Yellow Card by buying cryptocurrencies when they are low and selling them when they are high. Once you make money on Yellow Card, you can withdraw it to your momo account.
3. Complete tasks on Chipper Cash. Chipper Cash is a mobile money app that allows you to send, receive, and request money from other users. You can also make money on Chipper Cash by completing tasks, such as watching videos or referring friends. Once you make money on Chipper Cash, you can withdraw it to your momo account.
4. Earn with TikTok. TikTok is a social media platform that allows you to create and share short videos. You can make money on TikTok by creating and sharing popular videos. Once you make money on TikTok, you can withdraw it to your momo account.
5. **Take online surveys.** There are a number of websites that allow you to take online surveys in exchange for money. Once you complete a survey, you will be paid in cedis, which you can then withdraw to your momo account.
These are just a few of the many ways to make money in Ghana and withdraw to momo. With a little effort, you can start earning money online and reach your financial goals.
## Additional Tips
* If you are new to making money online, start with small amounts of money. This will help you learn the ropes and avoid making any major financial mistakes.
* Be patient. It takes time to build a successful online business. Don’t expect to get rich overnight.
* Be persistent. Don’t give up on your dreams. If you keep working hard, you will eventually achieve your goals.
Content created and supplied by: josh_nkp (via Opera
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Gladys Mensah Boaku, who is better known by her stage name Nayas, has talked about her marriage to a Ghanaian who lives in Germany.
She says that she married the man eight days after she first met him, even though they had been talking on the phone for a month.
She told Delay this in an interview that hasn’t been shown yet.
Nayas said that her friend who introduced her to her ex-husband had already made plans with him, so they hit it off right away and planned to get married eight days after they met.
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READ ALSO: My husband maltreated me; I was like a beggar in the streets of Germany – Nayas
“We started speaking in August and he came to Ghana in September. We got married eight days after we met,” she said.
Since a while ago, actress Nayas has been in the news because of her marriage problems and how badly she was treated in Germany.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has stated that the January 2024 Standing Orders of Parliament offers an opportunity to address the evolving needs of Ghana’s dynamic and hybrid parliamentary democracy.
According to the Speaker, the processes and procedures in the House is challenged, with time and practice exposing the gaps and deficiencies in the November 2000 Standing Orders.
He further indicated that, the present composition of the House has brought those gaps and deficiencies into sharper focus, even though those deficiencies surfaced as far as the early 2001.
“We must start aligning the conduct of business in the House with the evolving and changing trends and requirements of our Parliament. We need to know how to apply and cope with the January 2024 Standing Orders which has replaced the 2000 Orders. These are some of the reasons we are here today.
“As we say in Africa, when the drummers alter their beats, the dancers must adjust their steps,” he added.
The Speaker made this statement in his opening address at the orientation workshop for Members of Parliament and Procedural Staff on the new Standing Orders in Ho, over the weekend.
He stated that, the attendant composition of the House has brought to the fore several challenges with the old Standing Orders.
These led to diverse interpretations of some procedures and practices, constant and acerbic verbal one-upmanship on the floor of the House, increased tensions, near fisticuffs, and eventually, including the pronouncement of the Supreme Court regarding the November 2000 Standing Orders.
The Deputy Majority Leader and MP for Effutu, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, in his remarks on behalf of the Majority Leader indicated that, the only weapon for an MP is the rules book (Standing Orders) and cited himself as example that, when he entered the chamber in 2013 and found himself fumbling, the only saviour was the rules book.
He, therefore, advised his colleagues that, “the only way to survive and stand on your feet and make meaningful contributions on the floor of the chamber in the midst of all intimidation is to stand firm and indicate that you are within the rules.”
The Minority Chief Whip and MP for Adaklu, Kwame Governs Agbodza, congratulated the Speaker for spearheading the revision of the Standing Orders and bringing it into operation. He was of the opinion that, the orientation will address members concerns and bring them up to speed on the new provisions and the rationale behind them. He entreated his colleagues to commit their attention to all the facilitators.
In his welcome remarks, the Clerk to Parliament, Mr. Cyril Kwabena Oteng Nsiah, indicated that, since the commencement of the previous Orders, Parliaments have been confronted with contemporary challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic; institutionalisation of mechanisms to promote the Open Parliament Concept; the hung nature of the Eighth Parliament, which is the first of its kind since the inception of the Fourth Republic, presented a number of novel situations and challenges that were not clearly provided for under the previous Standing Orders.
The US Military shot down a suspected Chinese surveillance ballon on Saturday afternoon, February 4, after it flew across sensitive American military sites several days this week.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) closed down airspace over parts of North Carolina and South Carolina on Saturday amid reports that the Biden administration was considering shooting down a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon. US leader, Joe Biden had faced calls to shoot down the balloon ever since it was first spotted hovering over Montana on Wednesday February 1, but national security officials had declined to do so, citing concerns that the risk to civilians on the ground from debris outweighs the potential surveillance China could obtain.
On Saturday, as the balloon was spotted over the Carolinas, the FAA ordered all planes in the area to be grounded after reports that Biden was considering a plan to shoot out the balloon as it approached the Atlantic Ocean. Shortly after, the balloon was shot down over the ocean.
The balloon was first spotted near Billings, Montana and continued to travel across the central region of the United States. It was spotted over Missouri Friday evening and over North Carolina on Saturday.
U.S. authorities have maintained they believe the balloon was intended to conduct surveillance over the U.S.?potentially including a nuclear site in Montana?but China has said it was a weather balloon that was blown off track.
U.S. officials on Friday confirmed a second balloon was spotted over Latin America and were working to confirm that it was a Chinese surveillance balloon.
The situation has further strained relations between the United States and China, which were already tense amid the Russia-Ukraine war and questions about the future of Taiwan’s sovereignty.
Due to the breach of territory by the ballon, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken cancelled a planned trip to Beijing
Republicans had pressed Biden to order the balloon to be knocked out, with former President Donald Trump, who is again running for the Republican party nomination in 2024, urging Biden to “SHOOT DOWN THE BALLOON!” in a Truth Social post.
Watch videos below<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>The Chinese Spy Ballon has been eliminated. Shot down by fighter jets off the Carolina coast. <a href=”https://t.co/FunhGnePxQ”>pic.twitter.com/FunhGnePxQ</a></p>— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) <a href=”https://twitter.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1621957830009028609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>February 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script> <blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”en” dir=”ltr”>🚨 | The USA have shot down a Chinese ‘spy ballon’ 😳 <a href=”https://t.co/PDCQYHKReP”>pic.twitter.com/PDCQYHKReP</a></p>— The 𝐒ocial 𝐒cene (@TheSocialsScene) <a href=”https://twitter.com/TheSocialsScene/status/1621960168819855362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>February 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
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Babu Owino has written to the National Assembly speaker, expressing his intention to initiate an impeachment motion against Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha.
In a notice of motion filed with the Clerk of the National Assembly, Samuel Njoroge, the Embakasi East Member of Parliament has cited alleged incompetence and gross violation of the Constitution as the two grounds for seeking Ms. Nakhumicha’s removal from office.
According to Owino, Ms. Nakhumicha has demonstrated incompetence by failing to prevent the doctors’ strike, which has now extended into its third week, totaling 22 days.
The firebrand lawmaker said the doctors’ strike, which commenced on March 15th, has paralyzed Kenya’s healthcare system and deprived numerous citizens of their fundamental right to healthcare.
“As a result of the doctor’s strike, a majority of Kenyans’ right to life as well as right to the highest attainable of health has been grossly violated. Since the strike started last month, scores of Kenyans have been unable to access care, and in some dare cases, some have even lost their lives,” the notice of motion reads in part.
Doctors’ Collective Bargaining Agreement
Babu Owino added that CS Nakhumicha has also neglected to uphold the doctors’ Collective Bargaining Agreement and has instead adopted a firm stance, threatening the doctors with dismissal and replacement.
“She has failed to appreciate the seriousness of the strike and has failed to provide a lasting solution to settle the demands of the medics including the hiring of intern doctors and payment of salary arrears. I will be moving this motion and seek the resolution of the House to require President William Ruto to dismiss the CS from office,” said the lawmaker.
Babu Owino mentioned that he has since submitted the evidence to substantiate his case against Nakhumicha. He also claimed the motion has already received the support of 111 MPs.
The MP will then seek permission from the Speaker to proceed with collecting signatures, which must be endorsed by at least a third of the 349 members before the motion can be approved for reading on the floor of the House.
At a joint press conference with the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), Babu Owino also warned that MPs will participate in the industrial action if the government does not heed the striking doctors’ demands.
“We don’t want govt to demand, invite….don’t demand. When you push, we, KMPDU and MPs will push, when you pull, we’ll resist….when you demand we will refuse,” Owino declared.
Former Black Stars striker, Asamoah Gyan has faced the wrath of Ghanaians after he decided to start a campaign to seek financial support for comedian Funny Face.
Asamoah Gyan took to his official social media platforms to announce that he had paid a courtesy call on Funny Face after the latter brought to the limelight what he is going through.
According to the former Black Stars captain, he was touched by Funny Face’s emotional story.
Baby Jet disclosed that he has given Funny Face 1000 cedis but thinks that is not enough so has implored Ghanaians to also support the comic actor with some financial support.
In a post, Asamoah Gyan said “I managed to call FUNNY FACE . He poured his heart out to me and I’m soo touched. I decided to start campaign to support the guy with 1000 momo on his number (0244812335)“.
It seems Baby Jet’s campaign to raise funds for Funny Face was not welcomed by Ghanaians as many Ghanaians have questioned why they should raise funds for an ‘irresponsible’ man.
Ghanaians are asking if they will be raising funds for every celebrity who becomes broke including Hajia Bintu and Tracey Boakye.
“He should not do that, what funny face has gotten from only two footballers ,Adebayo and Sully should have been okay for him”, one netizen wrote.
“Like the way Hajia bintu and This Actress Tracey are doing show off .So one day in case they go broke Ghanaians will raise money for them?????? We are waiting Nkwaseasem”, another wrote.
I Just Sent 1000 Cedis to Funny Face- Asamoah Gyan Reveals
Former Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan has responded to comic actor Funny Face following the latter’s recent social media post.
Funny Face, in a recent Facebook post, disclosed to Ghanaians how things are really hard for him.
He claims losing a lot of ambassadorial deals has made him go bankrupt, making deciding what to even eat very difficult.
He added that, because of his present financial situation, he is unable to see his daughters.
Funny Face in the post blamed himself for his current situation because, according to him, he turned his back on some helpers who were there for him when he was a nobody.
Social media users took to the comment section to blast the comedian.
Many believe Funny Face is irresponsible because he could not utilize the support footballer Adebayor, among other people, offered him.
Well, legendary footballer Asamoah Gyan has paid a courtesy call on the comedian.
In a post by the legend, he has sorted Funny Face out with some 1000 Ghana cedis and hopes other benevolent people will follow suit.
Asamoah Gyan claims the comedian has in one way or another contributed to the lives of Ghanaians through his talent, hence the need to be there for him.
“I managed to call FUNNY FACE . He poured his heart out to me and I’m soo touched. I decided to start campaign to support the guy with 1000 momo on his number (0244812335)“, he said.
Well-known musician Patience Namadingo has broken his silence on claims by the University of South Africa denying awarding doctorate degree to him and social media influencer Pemphero Mphande.
On Tuesday UNISA Acting Registrar Professor Moloko Sepota said distanced itself from the honorary degree.
“UNISA wishes to state categorically that it has not conferred any such degrees on the trio and that any assertion to this effect is simply not true.
“As a university, we distance ourselves from these false claims and also condemn in the strongest terms the misuse of UNISA name for fraudulent conduct,” reads part of the statement.
But in his reaction Namadingo said: “We don’t think Doc organized this big event with Professor’s himself. And filled the UNISA great Hall with South Africans just to fool Malawians? And it took years before the university discovered he was in their hall 3years ago with other 35 Graduands from different countries. Only Doc and other 2 Malawians matter then?”
Namadingo went on to share a video of him receiving the honorary degree.
The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) presidential nomination, according to the party’s executives is due November this year. In all, some nine aspirants have declared intention of contesting the NPP presidential primary. They include Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen, Vice President Dr. Mahmudu Bawumia, Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, Kwabena Adjei Agyepong and Joseph Ghartey.
The others are Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, Addae Nimoh, Dr. Akoto Afriyie and Boakye Agyarko. Before the congress, the stated number will be pruned down to possibly, seven. That implies two of the aforementioned will be thrown out by a Super Delegates Congress that will precede the party’s presidential contest. The NPP decided to have a maximum of seven presidential aspirants after some 17 candidates contested the party’s presidential primary in 2008.
It’s the believe of many political purists that the contest left in its wake many divisions after the primary, which ultimately contributed to the defeat of the NPP in the 2008 General Elections. Out of the nine candidates vying for the sole slot, the political permutation suggests that Alan Kyerematen, Dr. Mahmudu Bawumia and Ken Agyapong will easily make it into to the “Qualified 7” bracket.
The run-up to the NPP primary gives a clear indication how the NPP is running on three idealistic prepositions. These are the conservatives; the new order and the radical movement. Alan Kyerematen represents the first of the three stated orders; Vice President Bawumia running axis of the new order with Kennedy Agyapong revolving on the youth-induced radicalism. Which one of the three orders will prevail when the party goes to congress to elect a nominee for the 2024 presidential elections? Historically, the NPP had a run-in on conservative orientation.
It’s more of rewarding the oldest or the longest serving member of the NPP tradition that traces its roots from the United Party (UP) of the late 1950’s. It’s based on that structured character of the party that Prof Albert Adu Boahen picked the NPP presidential ticket for the 1992 General Elections; John Agyekum Kufuor won the party’s presidential candidacy relying on same; with Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo also being rewarded for his meritorious and dedicated service to the cause of the NPP in the 2008, ’12 and ’16 presidential elections.
Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen
From pieces being gathered, it does seem former Trade Minister, Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen is the favourite candidate operating on the conservative order in the NPP. His supporters constantly remind party delegates on the need to follow the long cherished tradition that has won the NPP two presidents, since the inception of the 4th Republic. Thus the loudest and the battle-cry of Alan’s supporters have been “adro Alan so” to wit, it’s time for Alan Kyerematen to lead the NPP going into the 2024 elections.
Many Alan supporters believe, although Alan’s was better placed to dispose Nana Addo at least, in one of his three presidential contests with the current President, he lost out mainly because delegates stuck with the known conservative order in the party. Indeed, right after President Kufuor had left the scene, the overwhelming chorus in the NPP was “adro Nana so”; meaning it’s Nana Addo’s turn. Alan’s supporters seem to be reminding voters in the NPP presidential race to see Alan in same light as they did for Akufo Addo.
Vice President Mahmudu Bawumia
If it’s about relying on the old orientation of the NPP, then perhaps, Vice President Mahmudu Bawumia would not have a chance in the NPP’s presidential race. Almost all contesting candidates fit the conservative bill more than the Vice President. However, with the backing of the establishment, a new order is being created for Dr. Bawumia to run on that axis. It’s more of following or continuing with the legacy of his boss and the President of the Republic, Nana Akufo Addo.
It’s therefore, not surprising that many serving ministers of the current administration support the candidature of the Vice President. In fact, the Majority Leader and the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, was first to test the waters with the Bawunia candidature. He claimed in one of his interviews that after an Akan President—Nana Akufo Addo, it would be politically suicidal for the NPP to pick another person from the Akan to lead the NPP heading into the 2024 elections. His comments were corroborated by then NPP chairman, Freddie Blay.
Kennedy Ohene Agyapong
Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, the Assin Central MP, has introduced a radical element in the NPP presidential elections and that seems to have galvanized many youth of the party to support his presidential bid. It’s one preposition that presupposes that it’s about time Ghana did things differently. He has given the clearest intentions on how he could deal with his party people who would be found culpable in any act of malfeasance.
Hon. Kennedy Agyapong has also promised to ensure that Ministers of State and other state officials are committed to special code of ethics in the performance of their official duties. He did not mince words about his determination to storm the offices of public officials unannounced with those reporting for office late getting summary dismissal. Whether that can be possible in the face of the law, Ken Agyapong seems to be speaking the minds of many youths who constitute the largest chunk of his support base. Which one of the three orders will NPP delegates accept as the best for the party and by extension, the larger Ghanaian society?
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Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has responded to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) over a series of claims he made about Commissioner-General, Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Adu Owusu-Amoah.
The tax mobilization outfit demanded an apology for Ablakwa’s claim that the GRA boss had absconded from the country amidst probe into a major corruption scandal the GRA is mentioned in.
A GRA statement refuted reports that Rev. Dr. Owusu-Amoah had absconded from Ghana and clarified that he was on a scheduled six-day leave, set to resume work on January 15, 2024.
The GRA labeled Ablakwa’s assertions as a “malicious, sensational, misleading and deliberate attempt to damage the reputation” of the Commissioner-General and the GRA.
Ablakwa, however, remained resolute, stating in a rejoinder, “Let me assure the GRA that I do not owe them an apology, and they surely are not going to get one.”
He maintained that the GRA’s response failed to discredit the findings of his parliamentary oversight and criticized the circumstances surrounding the Commissioner-General’s leave during the ongoing audit ordered by the president.
Highlighting the GRA’s statement that Rev. Dr. Owusu-Amoah left Ghana on January 3, 2024, and is set to resume work on January 15, 2024, Ablakwa in a Facebook post questioned the legitimacy of describing it as a six-day leave, emphasizing that it coincides with the entire promised two-week audit period.
“The GRA release further states that Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah is on a 6-day leave and will resume work on January 15, 2024. This does not add up. The GRA Commissioner-General left Ghana on January 3, 2024 — a few hours after the January 2, 2024 presidential directive of a KPMG audit. Leaving Ghana on the 3rd of January, 2024 and resuming work on the 15th of January, 2024 which instructively is the entire period of the promised 2-weeks audit cannot be described as a 6-day leave,” he stated.
Ablakwa accused the government of opting for deception and a cover-up instead of an honest and transparent investigation into the alleged $100 million SML scandal.
He concluded by asserting his commitment to constitutional oversight and transparency, stating, “Nothing will stop us from pursuing our constitutional mandate of parliamentary oversight. Forward ever, backward never! For God and Country. Ghana First.”
Read Ablakwa’s response below:
I have become aware of the GRA statement.
Let me assure the GRA that I do not owe them an apology, and they surely are not going to get one.
The GRA response abysmally fails to discredit the findings of my unimpeachable parliamentary oversight.
Consistent with the revelations I published, the GRA has only confirmed that Ghana is the only country in the world where the President orders a crucial audit into a ginormous scandal and the head of the organisation under audit is concurrently allowed to proceed on leave and assisted to travel out of the country during the said audit — absolutely incredulous!
Under another incorruptible President, this GRA boss would have been fired for daring to leave the jurisdiction during such a high profile national audit into the create, loot and share scheme he collaborated with Ken Ofori-Atta to perpetrate.
The GRA release further states that Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah is on a 6-day leave and will resume work on January 15, 2024. This does not add up. The GRA Commissioner-General left Ghana on January 3, 2024 — a few hours after the January 2, 2024 presidential directive of a KPMG audit. Leaving Ghana on the 3rd of January, 2024 and resuming work on the 15th of January, 2024 which instructively is the entire period of the promised 2-weeks audit cannot be described as a 6-day leave.
These bizarre developments and blatant official untruths are bound to happen when a corrupt government opts for deception and a grand cover-up instead of an honest, transparent and credible investigation into the US$100million SML scandal.
Nothing will stop us from pursuing our constitutional mandate of parliamentary oversight. Forward ever, backward never!
Liberia’s President, George Weah was a target in an entrapment plot by investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong has alleged. According to him, the Liberian President could have been entrapped alongside former President of the Ghana Football Association, Kwasi Nyantakyi, by Anas Aremwyaw Anas in the purported “Number 12” corruption documentary.
Mr Agyapong stated that George Weah at the time was enthusiastic about the proposition from Anas’ “fake” investor, and had wanted to engage them, and also because he was vying for Presidency. He disclosed that Anas and his team invited Nyantakyi three consecutive times to Dubai but failed to show up in those invitations.
According to Kennedy Agyapong, Nyantakyi in his first invitation from Anas went with George Weah to transact business as proposed. It was when Nyantakyi expressed disappointment with the manner he was being treated and threatened to sue Anas that the meeting was finally called, Kennedy Agyapong added.
“Kwasi Nyatakyi was invited three consecutive times to Dubai. The first one, he went there with the Liberian President. They stayed in a hotel, Anas and his group did not show up. Kwasi Nyatakyi and his team threatened to sue them. That was the first time Anas showed up, pleading with Kwasi Nyantakyi,” said Kennedy Agyapong.
He continued that Anas and his team have been entrapping many people judges, lawyers, and other public officers under the guise of undercover journalism. He refuted claims that Anas’ work are journalistic and with a genuine cause of resolving societal ills.
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Big Brother Naija ‘Level Up’ winner, Ijeoma Otabor better known as Phyna has opened up on being poisoned.
The reality star shocked many when she took to the micro-blogging platform to reveal that she was poisoned, but God saved her.
Lamenting, Phyna questioned why anyone hated her so much to the extent of killing her. She noted how she has never offended anyone as she has a pure heart and soul.
“I was saved from poisoning.
I have never offended anybody. I have a pure heart and soul. Why so much hatred. God saved me”.
Phyna reveals hateful messages from trolls
Recall that Phyna had shared the hateful messages she received from trolls and fans of other former housemates ever since the show ended.
During an interview Phyna who said she had been seeing a lot of hate comments, disclosed that a fan of a particular ex housemate had been threatening her and her team, and the one that really broke her was the message which talked about her death.
Phyna said a fan of the undisclosed housemate sent her a note telling her that now that she has a car, she will be involved in an accident and die if she does not dump her love interest and co housemate, Groovy. The troll went on to say that her family members who are all poor will spend heavily on her hospital bills.
The message really got to the 2022 BBNaija winner who reacted by saying that haters should desist from involving her family members in any issue and if they do or further send her death threats, she will personally drive to their homes and beat them up.
A former military officer and security analyst, Col Festus Aboagye (Rtd), says there should be no cause for alarm following a viral video of some Ghanaians allegedly joining the Russian Army.
The video, which features five men supposedly in a foreign land speaking Twi, a Ghanaian language, has sparked concerns about potential security implications for Ghana amidst the Russia and Ukraine war.
However, in an interview with Citi News in Accra on Tuesday, the security specialist assuaged the fears of Ghanaians, urging them to refrain from perceiving anything associated with Russia as dangerous.
“We must be careful in this conversation that we do not bring in this east west dichotomy. That anything that is west is good. Anything that is east is bad. That because Ghanaian citizens have joined the Russian army or let’s say Wagner, then it’s a tropical issue. And that when Ghanaians join the US army as I’ve cited, then it is not an issue. We need to be very, very careful about it. Secondly or lastly, it is a question of motivation, it could be economic reasons. It could be unemployment. It could also be that sheer motivation.”
“They are people who are looking for adventure for instance and if they think that being in the Ghana Army or not being in the Ghana Army but they don’t get that kind of excitement in the work that they are doing and there are opportunities to serve in the Russian Army or Wagner or whatever it is. Then they are likely to leave and go and join,” he stated.
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The announcement by the Guinness World Records about the disqualification of Ghanaian sing-a-thon contestant Afua Asantewaa did not come with specific details regarding the reasons for her inability to achieve the record.
Reviewing the rules of the game and paying critical attention to Afia Asantewaa’s performance, the checks reveal that some clear errors could have been the reasons her record attempt was thwarted.
Let’s take a look at some of these possible reasons below:
Were the songs performed to a reasonable standard?
Per the rules, the songs sung throughout the attempt must be recognizable and performed to a reasonable standard.
While all the songs sung by Afua Asantewaa were popular Ghanaian songs, it remains unclear whether they were performed to a ‘reasonable standard.’ Glaring lapses and glitches were observed throughout her performance, particularly as the hours increased. At a point, she could be heard straining her voice when it faltered, similar to when fatigue set in.
Did she adhere to the rules that state that each piece of music performed must last for at least two minutes, with pauses of not more than 30 seconds allowed?
According to the Guinness World Records, each piece of music is expected to be performed continuously for at least two minutes.
This rule in particular might have been broken as Afua Asantewaa, during her bid, was spotted with several long pauses to either exchange pleasantries with guests, respond to the ecstatic crowd, recall forgotten lyrics, or rest her voice.
In one of the instances, Afua Asantewaa, while performing Samini’s “Where My Baby Dey”, paused to complain to the DJ that she was worn out and sleepy.
In another instance, some guests including musicians like Shatta Wale, Samini, and others, entered her booth to interact with her while the songs were being played and the microphone captured in her hand.
No piece of music may be repeated in performance within four hours. Songs can only repeat after 4 hours. Was this rule strictly adhered to?
During Afua’s performance, the repetition of songs within a short period was noted, a situation that raised concerns among individuals who were aware of the sing-a-thon rules at that time.
For instance, songs like Shatta Wale’s ‘Freedom’, Osibisa’s ‘Woyaya’, and several others kept running through the list of songs concurrently.
Improvisation or jamming is not allowed:
At a point during the contest, Afia Asantewaa was seen jamming with the teeming crowd.
The cheers and ‘sing-along vibes’ from the hundreds of energetic crowds might have penetrated the glass barrier into the booth where Afua Asantewaa stood, matching the enthusiasm of the audience.
Additionally, at a point, she was compelled to replace some original lyrics with either dancing, or miming to the beat, and in some cases, she fumbled.
The sing-a-thon
On December 24, Asantewaa embarked on a mission to break the Guinness World Record for the longest singing marathon. She was the toast of December in GH as she sang for 126 hours and 52 minutes. She initially planned to end on 27th December; however, after consultation with her team, she decided to sing continuously for five days.
The event which took place at the Akwaaba Village in Accra, near the Kotoka International Airport, saw thousands in attendance in their bid to support her and be part of history.
A tall list of showbiz personalities including Nana Ama McBrown, Kwabena Kwabena, Efya, Sista Afia, Afronitaa, Delay, Cina Soul, Clemento Suarez, Akuapem Poloo, Lawyer Nti, Piesie Esther and OB Amponsah also thronged the venue demonstrating their collective support for the event.
The commentaries were overwhelmingly positive, with people consistently applauding and encouraging her to forge ahead in her impressive endeavor.
The announcement of her disqualification has ignited conversation about her attempt. Meanwhile, Asantewaa has said that she would announce her “next line of action in a few days.”
Liberian President George Weah has called his challenger in the presidential race, Joseph Boakai, to congratulate him on his victory.
In an address to the nation, he said “The Liberian people have spoken and we have heard their voice”.
The opposition candidate holds an unassailable lead of 28,000 votes with nearly all ballots counted.
A former football star, President Weah has been in power since 2018. He will step down in January.
He came into the job on a wave of enthusiasm, especially from younger voters, having won that election – also against Mr Boakai – by a large margin.
But a perception that he had failed to tackle corruption, rising prices and continued economic difficulties tarnished his image.
Mr Weah was magnanimous in defeat, beginning his five-minute address by saying he had “the utmost respect for the democratic process that has defined our nation”, adding that he had spoken to Mr Boakai who he called the “president-elect”.
Earlier, the electoral commission announced that Mr Boakai, a 78-year-old political veteran had 50.89% of the votes, while President Weah had 49.11%.
The president referred to the closeness of the race saying it “reveals a deep division within our country” and called on Liberians to “work together to find common ground… unity is paramount for mama Liberia”.
A long period of civil war in which an estimated 250,000 people died ended just 20 years ago.
Joseph Boakai supporters came out on the street of Monrovia earlier convinced that he had won
When the latest set of results were announced earlier on Friday, they sparked celebrations in the capital, Monrovia.
Mr Boakai’s supporters gathered at his party’s headquarters in the city, convinced that he had won the election.
They called for President Weah to go, and chanted “we beat the Buga dancer” – referring to a song that became associated with his campaign.
The electoral commission says it has announced the results from 99.58% of the polling stations following Tuesday’s run-off election.
Mr Boakai’s supporters gathered at his party’s headquarters in Monrovia
The run-off between Mr Boakai and Mr Weah was triggered after neither candidate got more than 50% of the vote in last month’s first round. There were 18 other candidates.
In that vote, the president got the largest share and was just 7,000 votes ahead of Mr Boakai.
The poll was the tightest presidential contest in Liberia since the civil war.
Mr Boakai’s campaigning focused on the need to rescue the nation from what he called “mismanagement” by Mr Weah’s administration.
The president dismissed Mr Boakai’s allegations, saying he had made significant strides, including introducing free tuition for university students.
This is the fourth time a presidential election has taken place since the war ended.
Observers from the regional bloc, Ecowas, deemed the run-off largely peaceful, AFP news agency reports.
But there were isolated incidents that led to “injuries and hospitalisations” in the provinces of Lofa, Nimba, Bong and Montserrado, it quotes observers as saying.
From generation to generation, Tottenham Hotspur supporters have passed on stories of ‘glory glory’ nights.
Those tales were much more glorious in years past. The 1951 and 1961 Division One titles. The 1972 and 1984 UEFA Cups. The various FA Cups that Spurs used to win at a canter barely breaking into a sweat.
Tottenham in the 21st century have been known for their over-performance in the Premier League rather than their tangible success. Always good enough to compete, not good enough to get more trophies into the cabinet.
Qualifying for the Champions League became the obsession of modern Spurs. In recent months, former manager Mauricio Pochettino has revealed the club’s prioritisation of that in order to make their billion-pound stadium transition smoother.
His first interview also wildly differed from that of his predecessors and successors.
“We will try to give everything to make you proud of this football club.”
No talk of trophies. No talk of top-four.
This sentiment fittingly summed up Pochettino as a man and what his five-and-a-half year reign at Tottenham represented, culminating in reaching the 2019 Champions League final after completing a 96th-minute comeback against Ajax.
Everyone connected with Tottenham – and Ajax, for that matter – remembers where they were that night, how they felt, the pain and the agony, the joy and the ecstasy.
90min exclusively spoke to those there in Amsterdam, those in the stadium, the pubs, cowering behind their sofas, and the last two players at Tottenham who were on that pitch when Lucas Moura sent Spurs through.
Cast
⚪️⚽️ – Son Heung-min, Tottenham forward ⚪️⚽️ – Ben Davies, Tottenham defender 🎙️ – Rob Daly, SpursTV commentator ⚪️🎙️ – Flav, podcaster for The Fighting Cock 🔴🧣 – Ingmar Verhoeff, Ajax fan of over 25 years who also follows Tottenham ⚪️🧣 – Lee Tomlinson, Tottenham fan of over 20 years
Chapters
Chapter 1 – The season
Chapter 2 – A Champions League run of legend
Chapter 3 – An Ajax brotherhood
Chapter 4 – The first leg
Chapter 5 – The hottest ticket in town
Chapter 6 – The first half in Amsterdam
Chapter 7 – Half-time
Chapter 8 – 15 manic minutes
Chapter 9 – Clinging on
Chapter 10 – Glory Glory Tottenham Hotspur
Chapter 1 – The season
Tottenham planned to move into their new stadium in September 2018, but this move was delayed until April 2019. Meanwhile, Spurs became the first team in Premier League history not to sign or sell a player in the summer transfer window, despite Pochettino calling for a rebuild of his squad. A late end to the 2018 World Cup and early start to the 2018/19 Premier League season brought about an injury crisis.
Wembley fatigue set in / ADRIAN DENNIS/GettyImages
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “I remember just being fed up with it from the start.”
🎙️ Daly: “The club hadn’t made any signings but the team was performing well until about Christmas, and then my memory of that season was after the turn of the year, we started to see the team lose its way a little bit.”
⚪️🎙️ Flav: “The domestic form, as everyone will remember, wasn’t great. The cracks in Pochettino’s Tottenham were evident in that season.”
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “The ball-ache of having to go and buy your ticket and sort out the credit with the club. It was a season I barely went to Wembley.”
Chapter 2 – A Champions League run of legend
Reaching the Champions League semi-finals was a miraculous achievement for Tottenham, let alone getting to the final. They accrued only one point from their first three group stage games and needed down-and-out PSV Eindhoven to get a draw at Inter to secure progress to the last 16. From there, Spurs eliminated Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund 4-0 on aggregate and caused an upset against favourites Manchester City, prevailing on away goals after Raheem Sterling’s winner was chalked off by VAR.
One of VAR’s better moments / Marc Atkins/GettyImages
⚪️🎙️ Flav: “To get through, to get out of that group stage which was difficult enough, it included Barcelona, Inter and PSV. We had to go to Camp Nou to get out of that group and not lose – we managed to do that, which is an insane ask.”
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “The European season was just mad that season in general…the European season was the only thing that was interesting that year.”
🎙️ Daly: “I think you could start to see in the second half of that season the performances that would bleed into the start of the next one under Pochettino that would lead to him departing. Things were already starting to slow down or something, it’s hard to really articulate properly. It only makes the Champions League run all the more extraordinary, because that run was not the peak Pochettino Tottenham. And yet that’s the team that somehow made a Champions League final.”
⚪️🎙️ Flav: “We beat a decent Dortmund side, but from that point onwards we had no real right to be in the final. It was a miracle. People don’t talk about that Manchester City game enough and that’s because of what happened in Amsterdam. But what happened in that Manchester City tie was insane! That in itself we could’ve made a film about, it was madness.”
Chapter 3 – An Ajax brotherhood
And so Tottenham advanced to the semi-finals to face Ajax, who caused a couple of upsets themselves with the eliminations of Real Madrid and Juventus. Spurs and Ajax were previously viewed as semi-linked clubs, partly due to the shared history of players and managers, their roots in London and Amsterdam’s Jewish communities, and a shared hooligan-hatred of Rotterdam outfit Feyenoord.
Three future Tottenham stars in Ajax colours / PHILIPPE DESMAZES/GettyImages
🔴🧣Verhoeff: “I know that for some Ajax fans it [this relationship] is indeed present. I thought this was mainly of the older supporters.”
⚪️🎙️ Flav: “This video [NINETY + FIVE] that The Fighting Cock made five years ago just after Ajax…the plan was to make this video about the ‘friendship’, in inverted commas, between Ajax and Tottenham, the kinship between the two clubs, because there was previously a history of there being an affinity between them. We ended up beating them 3-2 and all of our contacts with the Ajax fanbase just blanked us! They didn’t want to talk to us. And for obvious reasons – if it’d happened to Spurs, I wouldn’t have wanted to talk to them, it’s the last thing you’d want to do.”
🔴🧣 Verhoeff: “My first Ajax match was in 1997 against De Graafschap, 1-0, a late Richard Witschge goal. I actually started supporting Spurs when Jan Vertonghen left for them. Before that, I followed a bit, including for Rafael van der Vaart, but then it really became serious. Jan was one of my favourite Ajax players, his defensive play was fantastic, the passion he gave made him a real Ajax player.”
Chapter 4 – The first leg
A patched-together Tottenham without the injured Harry Kane and suspended Son at least had home-advantage for the first leg of the semi-final. However, Spurs were incredibly flat and barely threatened, with Donny van de Beek scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win for the visitors.
Spurs lost at home / Tom Jenkins/GettyImages
🔴🧣 Verhoeff: “I was happy and stressed, a dream come true for Ajax and Spurs to play each other. All my friends were making jokes. ‘Ah, it doesn’t matter as you support both so it’s win-win’! But I have always said Ajax is my number one.”
🎙️ Daly: “Ajax had been unbelievable that season. Their win at the Bernabeu was remarkable. That Ajax team…there are some teams where you look back in hindsight and go, ‘I can’t believe that group of players was together at that club at that time’. I think of it like Porto in 2004, of Monaco in that breakout 2016/17 season for Kylian Mbappe, where they had Fabinho, Falcao, Bernardo Silva, just an incredible team. I felt like Ajax were like that as well.”
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “The atmosphere was incredible even before the game. It was one of those games like Arsenal in 2022, you could tell everyone was up for it. The High Road, there’s normally not much going on, but everyone was up for it. And then we lost.”
⚪️⚽️ Davies: “It was a tough game when we played them at home. They were very good and we knew we had an uphill battle when we were behind in the game.”
🎙️ Daly: “This was Ajax’s moment. They had built this amazing team. After the first leg, you’d wondered if Spurs were actually the characters in their story, Spurs were going to be a chapter in their European Cup success. I’ve worked in the Champions League a long time – a 1-0 home-leg defeat is death. That’s how it certainly felt after the first leg.”
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “I remember saying to my dad on the platform, ‘they were good but they’re beatable’. I went away from that seeing why people were so in awe of them…but they were beatable.”
Chapter 5 – The hottest ticket in town
Tickets to the return leg came and went within minutes of release on the part of both clubs. It’s estimated up to 10,000 Tottenham fans made the trip to Amsterdam, many of whom did not have tickets.
Ajax fans brought the noise / NIELS WENSTEDT/GettyImages
⚪️🎙️ Flav: “I’d arrived in Amsterdam a day before the game to meet up with my five brothers and my dad and a couple of mates, we were all out there together. We were drinking, singing songs, other bits and pieces, it was great.”
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “I got offered £1500 for my ticket. Definitely at half-time I was thinking, ‘you should have taken the money’!”
⚪️🎙️ Flav: “I had to be there, there was no other place in the world I was going to be, and I didn’t have a ticket and I knew I wasn’t going to get a ticket. We saw tickets changing hands for ginormous amounts of money, talking thousands and thousands of pounds. Seeing deals happen in the pubs that we’re sitting in, where two tickets are handed over and thousands are given back to the person selling the ticket. I would estimate up to ten grand. It was an insane amount of money. We were just sitting there going, ‘this is mental, we’re never getting a ticket’.”
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “It wasn’t really until I got outside the stadium that the enormity of it all…that this was the best chance we were going to get to go to a Champions League final. You walk out of the station and the crowds are just massive. There’s just a sea of people like it’s a concert next to the stadium. And it was just like…f***ing hell.”
⚪️🎙️ Flav: “The pub we were in was packed full of Tottenham. When I say there was no one else in there – no locals, the Ajax fans who tried to get in before the game started weren’t allowed in. Spurs fans had become bouncers, we took over the pub, it was our pub.”
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “The atmosphere out was there was amazing, and then you walk round to the ground, you got in and it was full – it was full 45 minutes before kick-off.”
Chapter 6 – The first half in Amsterdam
Ajax sought to kill the tie for good back at the Johan Cruyff Arena. An early goal from Matthijs de Ligt put them two to the good on aggregate, before a special strike from Hakim Ziyech appeared to have sealed their place in the final.
Ajax went 3-0 up on aggregate / JOHN THYS/GettyImages
⚪️⚽️ Son: “The semi-final, I didn’t know how long it was ago! It was a crazy night. I still think about it.”
🎙️ Daly: “I remember Pochettino saying before the game saying ‘we have to come out quick, it can’t be like the first leg’, and they didn’t. Ajax came out all over Spurs.”
🔴🧣 Verhoeff: “It was an incredible feeling…could it be that Ajax would reach a Champions League final again?”
⚪️🎙️ Flav: “I’m relatively pessimistic anyway. I’m comfortable in the fact that Spurs might never win anything and that’s my starting position. So if we don’t, I can never be disappointed, and I think through decades of following Spurs, the moments of us winning have been fleeting. So I’ve always had that position, and for me it wasn’t about going and hoping Spurs win, it was about being out there as a Spurs fan.”
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “Before that, you were thinking, ‘just put in a good performance so you can come away with your head held high’. They score after five minutes and you just think, ‘f*** sake, here we go again’. It was almost funny, that first goal. You were just laughing thinking, ‘typical Spurs’.”
🔴🧣 Verhoeff: “To be very honest, it didn’t seem like it could go wrong for Ajax anymore. We were already looking for an overnight stay in Madrid for the final. I had a day off to use that year and it worked out fine. It was going to be a road trip to Madrid.”
Chapter 7 – Half-time
Tottenham went into half-time knowing they had to score three without reply in the second 45 minutes if they were to realise their dreams of reaching a first-ever Champions League final. The injured Harry Kane came down from the stands and gave his honest opinions, with Kieran Trippier later revealing the England striker went ‘mental’.
Pochettino needed one hell of a team talk / Soccrates Images/GettyImages
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “I was thinking, ‘come out and show us something’. That was all I thought at half-time. There was no chance we were going to get through here.”
⚪️🎙️ Flav: “We walked out of this pub we were in, my brother was sitting across from me and we were having a cigarette and we didn’t say anything. And then after about ten minutes I just looked over to him and he said ‘let’s just go in and get it done, it’s over but let’s get it done’. That was the attitude.”
🎙️ Daly: “At the time, I had a message from my wife saying, ‘how’s the game going?’. She was out, she couldn’t see the score. I phoned her and said, ‘I’m going to be free on June 1st’. When you work in football, you find time to try and maybe go on holiday, and maybe I wasn’t going to be needed on June 1st.”
⚪️🎙️ Flav: “There was this famous story of Harry Kane saying ‘is this how you want to be remembered? Is this what you want? Is this how it ends? Are we going to go out like this or are we going to go out on our swords?’. And there was an uptick in performance.”
⚪️⚽️ Davies: “I can’t remember what was said, but all I can say is we came out for that second half like a different team.”
⚪️⚽️ Son: “I think I’m the type of guy who never wants to give up and tries to work as hard as possible until the last result of the game. I think when you don’t believe, these things don’t happen.”
Chapter 8 – 15 manic minutes
By the time the second leg reached the 60th minute, Tottenham were level on the night thanks to a stunning brace from Lucas, including a silencing second in which he weaved his way through three defenders before shooting without even looking towards goal. All of a sudden, the vibe had shifted on a tectonic scale inside the Johan Cruyff Arena.
Lucas dragged Spurs level / VI-Images/GettyImages
⚪🧣 Tomlinson: “You were happy, but I don’t think anyone was thinking of properly coming back at that point. I certainly wasn’t. I was happy. We came out in the second half immediately like a completely different team.”
🔴🧣 Verhoeff: “The beginning of the second half…Ajax started so weakly. That remains incomprehensible.”
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “The Ajax team, their arses just dropped.”
🎙️ Daly: “Suddenly it’s on, and Ajax wobble. They had a huge wobble from that point on.”
⚪️⚽️ Son: “We were believing.”
⚪️🎙️ Flav: “There must’ve been 50 Ajax players around Lucas in that box, that’s what it felt like. The sound of the ball hitting the net, it was like there was a vacuum in the stadium and it went silent. You could hear that ball go *chhh* in the net. And obviously the explosion and the commentary, but more so the explosion of the players and the fans because suddenly it’s on. Suddenly.”
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “It was silent. I don’t think I’ve ever been in a stadium quite like that before.”
🎙️ Daly: “That second goal you feel the chance is gone but he produces something crazy, crazy to score.”
Chapter 9 – Clinging on
The game was now a back-and-forth contest more reminiscent of Erik ten Hag’s out-of-control Manchester United than his Ajax maestros. Ziyech hit the post for Ajax, while Vertonghen rattled the crossbar late on for Tottenham.
Ziyech and Vertonghen both missed huge chances / Matthew Ashton – AMA/GettyImages
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “I started to believe, then when it got to 80 minutes, I started to not believe again. We weren’t getting the ball, we weren’t putting the ball in the net, we were missing chances. You’re thinking it’s not going to happen.”
⚪️🎙️ Flav: “I was s***ing myself. That was when the nerves hit. That was the bit. You’ve got something to hold onto.”
🔴🧣 Verhoeff: “I was afraid Jan would score the decisive goal, then he would immediately no longer have been my favourite!”
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “They were getting louder, they’re getting closer, and we’re getting more anxious because we’ve only got 10 minutes. They’re starting to sing again. It got quite quiet for a while and maybe only their ultras were singing, but then the whole stadium was standing and so loud.”
🎙️ Daly: “You normally get that one chance, and it’s a horrible old cliche, but you have to score them. You have to score that, really.”
⚪️⚽️ Davies: “It felt like our chance had gone.”
🎙️ Daly: “But I think what was encouraging was that Ajax’s game management had completely fallen to pieces.”
Chapter 10 – Glory Glory Tottenham Hotspur
The chance for Tottenham to win the tie appeared to go when one last corner sailed over. Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana picked up a yellow card for time-wasting on the resulting goal kick, with four minutes and 38 seconds of the five added minutes up by the time he finally took it.
And what happened next was history.
A complete contrast of emotion / Matthew Ashton – AMA/GettyImages
🎙️ Daly: “The long ball from Moussa Sissoko.”
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “Fortunately, Llorente wins the header. One of the best subs Pochettino ever made for us.”
🔴🧣 Verhoeff: “I saw De Ligt misstep…”
🎙️ Daly: “They’re slipping…“
⚪️🎙️ Flav: “It was this combination between Dele Alli and Lucas Moura.”
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “I seem to remember the ball rolling really slowly.”
⚪️🎙️ Flav: “It was one of them ones where you go, ‘go on’…”
🎙️ Daly: “…they’re sliding…“
⚪️🎙️ Flav: “It was like time stood still.”
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “And then…”
⚪️🎙️ Flav: “And then the most intense euphoria that cannot be created by anything else on this planet – and I’ve done a lot of things to achieve euphoria artificially in my life. That feeling is something that cannot be replicated. That third goal was one of the most…I’ve never felt so good in all my life, so much so that I wasn’t sure if it was real.”
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “The ball goes in and you’re celebrating, going mad, and then you still can’t believe it. You’re in this delirious celebration where you know you’ve scored, but you’re thinking you haven’t scored. You can’t believe what’s just gone on.”
⚪️🎙️ Flav: “It was the most tense room I’ve ever been in, but also the most together I’ve ever felt with a group of people. And to see the explosion in this room when Lucas Moura scored that third goal, it was something I can’t describe. It went crazy everywhere, but I swear to God this room is where it went most mental. It was like the last days of Gomorrah. People were throwing themselves off tables, swinging on lampshades, people falling over, beer going everywhere, tables being thrown, not physically thrown but pushed over with the momentum of this sea of people that were lost in complete ecstasy. It was incredible.”
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “I was on the floor.”
⚪️🎙️ Flav: “In this pub it’s absolute mayhem, and I’m standing calmly in the middle of it all with my arms out wide and looking around at people going ‘is this actually happening? Have we done it? We’ve f***ing done it! We’re going to the final of the Champions League!’”
🔴🧣 Verhoeff: “It was done.”
⚪️⚽️ Son: “It was the craziest game I’ve ever seen.”
🎙️ Daly: “In fact, Ajax were the character in Tottenham’s story. They were going to their first ever final.”
🔴🧣 Verhoeff: “It was disbelief…and most of it anger. Sometimes I still watch the highlights of that Champions League campaign on YouTube back. And then I have the emotion. Tears again.”
⚪️🎙️ Flav: “It was like nothing else I’ve ever experienced, it was the greatest comeback I’ve ever experienced, it was one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the Champions League and there’ve been many, but this was insanely good. And it’s happening to Tottenham, and we’re on our way to Madrid. That is something else, that’s something I doubt I’ll ever live through again.”
🔴🧣 Verhoeff: “But Spurs were in the final. I love Spurs. I was 200% in favour of Spurs.”
🎙️ Daly: “The ‘slipping, sliding’ thing turned into an accidentally fitting metaphor for what had happened to Ajax. They’re physically slipping and they ultimately lost it. And I lost it. And then I don’t really remember a lot of things…you blackout.”
⚪️⚽️ Son: “It was a crazy, crazy night. I don’t know what to describe it any more. It was crazy from Lucas and all the teammates to go to the final of the Champions League.”
⚪️⚽️ Davies: “Together with all the boys…it was a good day.”
🎙️ Daly: “I can’t remember what I said to my wife! I think I phoned her up in a bit of a daze after and was like, ‘actually no, I think I’m going to have a shift on June 1st’.”
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “It’s the best day of my life, full stop. No day’s been better than that, no feeling. We could win the league and the Champions League, and I’m still not sure the peak happiness level would be any more than that. That moment was pure elation, nothing else matters.”
⚪️🎙️ Flav: “That was the end of the greatest ever era I’ve had following Spurs, and that game against Ajax was the pinnacle of it.”
⚪️🧣 Tomlinson: “I didn’t sleep for 30 hours. You come home, you can’t let it sink in, you get straight to, ‘how the f*** are we going to get to Madrid?’.”
All interviews are exclusive to 90min. Most have been condensed but not taken out of context.
Manchester City resumed their Champions League defence with a comfortable 3-1 win at FC Copenhagen on Tuesday.
Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva netted either side of an unexpected Magnus Mattson equaliser as City dominated a last-16 first leg they could have won far more convincingly.
Pep Guardiola’s side dominated in every aspect at the Danish capital’s famously atmospheric Parken Stadium and Phil Foden completed a deserved success late on.
With close to 80 per cent possession, the holders were hardly troubled and will be confident of wrapping up a place in the quarter-finals when the sides meet again in Manchester in three weeks.
The only real downside for City was the loss of Jack Grealish through injury in the first half.
Despite having almost complete control, one thing City could not do was silence the home fans.
As anticipated, Copenhagen’s raucous following produced an intimidating atmosphere and greeted every City attack with loud whistles and even a siren.
Yet it appeared to have no effect on City, who immediately imposed themselves and should have taken the lead when De Bruyne fluffed a header from a Nathan Ake cross.
Ruben Dias also forced a save from Kamil Grabara and Ake fired the rebound over, although a raised flag suggested neither might have counted.
Copenhagen, their rustiness amid Denmark’s long winter break evident, were struggling to live with City and it came as no surprise when De Bruyne hit his 11th-minute opener.
The Belgian, who has quickly eased back into gear after a long injury lay-off, timed his run onto a Foden pass superbly and finished clinically with a low shot.
City looked hungry for more and Erling Haaland was inches away from meeting a De Bruyne cross before a Silva ball was deflected onto the woodwork by Denis Vavro.
City suffered a blow when Grealish, making his first start in six games, was forced off after 21 minutes soon after a challenge from Diogo Goncalves but his replacement Jeremy Doku added more energy to City’s attack.
Within moments of coming on Doku set up Haaland for what would have been a spectacular goal with a volleyed cross but the Norwegian’s overhead kick flew over.
City looked capable of running up a huge score but remarkably found themselves level when Ederson gifted the hosts an equaliser on 34 minutes.
The goalkeeper passed straight to Mohamed Elyounoussi and, although the former Southampton forward’s shot was blocked, debutant Mattson followed up with a fine finish.
Mattson, a recent signing from NEC Nijmegen, almost added another soon after but blazed over.
The home fans were animated but their excitement was not to last.
Silva restored normal order before the break with a fine flicked finish after De Bruyne got the better of Mattson to pick out the Portuguese.
De Bruyne almost added to the lead early in the second half when he tested Grabara before Haaland headed tamely at the keeper and Foden had an effort deflected wide.
Grabara also pushed away a long-range Doku strike and Haaland was twice denied by the keeper in stoppage time before Foden wrapped up the win after exchanging passes with De Bruyne.
Though it’s still too early to predict with certainty who the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will nominate to represent them in the 2024 presidential election. In the media and political circles, there have been rumors regarding a number of potential candidates. Here are some probable candidates and the justifications for why they might be taken into consideration.
1) Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is thought to be the most likely successor to President Nana Akufo-Addo and the overwhelming favorite. Dr. Bawumia has been very engaged in politics, working as the president’s top advisor and driving the government’s digitization program, among other important initiatives. He has received high appreciation for his understanding of economics and his capacity to explain them to the general public. Additionally, the fact that he is from the Northern part of Ghana, where the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has historically held sway, may assist the NPP gain ground there.
2) Hon. Alan Kwadwo Kyeremateng
The government’s flagship One-District-One-Factory (1D1F) policy was implemented with the help of trade minister Alan Kyeremateng, a seasoned politician who served as trade minister from 2001to 2008 and 2017 to 2023. He is regarded as having a strong support base within the NPP, particularly among party loyalists and grassroots members. He contested president Akuffo-Addo in all presidential primaries of the NPP from 2007 to 2015 of which he came second in all elections. It is strongly believed that Alan Kyeremanteng would be duly elected as flagbearer as a reward for his commitment to the party, despite his earlier defeats to Akuffo-Addo.
3) Hon. Kennedy Ohene Agyapong
In Ghanaian politics, Kennedy Agyapong has a history of being divisive, and if he were to run for president, the NPP would find that his contentious remarks and rhetoric are a problem, though others believe otherwise. Additionally, the NPP has a number of additional contenders who are supported more strongly within the party and are thought to be more viable.
Kennedy Agyapong’s selection as the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) standard bearer for the Ghanaian presidential election of 2024 appears improbable. Although Agyapong is a well-known NPP member and has served as the representative for Assin Central since 2001, he has declared his intention to run for president and there is little evidence that he would be a strong contender.
In the end, it seems unlikely that Agyapong will be selected as the NPP’s flagbearer for the 2024 presidential election, despite the fact that he may continue to play a significant role in the NPP and Ghanaian politics in general.
The choice of the NPP’s flagbearer for the 2024 election will be based on a number of variables, party dynamics inside the party, public opinion surveys, and the unique talents and abilities of each contender. However, given his solid track record, support within the party, and status as President Akufo-Addo’s presumed heir, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia currently appears to be the most likely candidate.
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Jude Bellingham has admitted he channelled the ‘rubbish’ criticism aimed at him this week as he celebrated his dramatic stoppage-time equaliser against Slovakia.
A woeful England performance looked to have steered the Three Lions towards elimination from Euro 2024 before Bellingham popped up with an overhead kick in the final minute of stoppage time to send the game to extra time, where a Harry Kane header won the game for Gareth Southgate’s side.
As Bellingham celebrated his spectacular goal, the Real Madrid midfielder appeared to scream “who else?” – a reminder to his critics that he boasts the quality needed to decide games like this.
“It’s a feeling that is like no other,” said Bellingham.
“In international football and in knockout football it’s an even worse feeling because you’re 30 seconds from going home and having to listen to all the rubbish and feeling like you’ve let a nation of people down.
“In 30 seconds or one kick of the ball, everything can change.”
Bellingham saved England late on / Ian MacNicol/GettyImages
Asked to elaborate on his meaning of ‘rubbish’, Bellingham continued: “I think you know what I mean by the rubbish.
“Playing for England, it should be one of the proudest things of a footballer’s career, but often it is quite difficult. There’s a really high intense pressure, the fans expect a lot from us, regardless of what happened in recent tournaments years and years ago. People talk a lot. I think you do have to take it personally a little bit.
“We work so hard at this game, we come in and we train every day so hard to try and put on performances for the fans, sometimes it doesn’t go well and sometimes feels like there’s a bit of a pile-on. It’s not nice to hear but you can always use it for moments like that. It’s nice to throw it back to some people, I suppose.”
Bellingham ended by admitting the goal could end up being one of the best moments of his career if England go on to lift the trophy later this summer.
“It’s got to be up there!” he said. “It’s 30, 20 seconds until we’re out of the European Championships, the mood, in comparison to now, that it would have been is a massive difference, and what it can do for the team going forwards, I think it’s hard to deny that it was one of the most important moments of my career so far.
“We’ll see, though. It’s still a long tournament, it’s only really very important if we go on to win the cup. We’ll decide in the next two weeks how important it is.”
Barcelona manager Xavi insists his side are still not favourites to advance to the Champions League semi-finals despite Wednesday’s 3-2 victory over Paris Saint-Germain.
Two goals from Raphinha and a header from Andreas Christensen saw Barcelona pick up a huge victory away from home in the first leg of their quarter-final tie, giving them an advantage to defend when PSG head to Catalonia next week.
Despite boasting a slender advantage heading into the return leg, Xavi insisted PSG remain the favourites to win the tie.
“PSG are still favourites, and they played a great game, but we minimised them,” Xavi said. “We pressed very well.
“I am very proud of the team. It’s a great victory against one of the best teams in the world. It is difficult to defend against them and they have many attacking options. We’re halfway there. It will be difficult in Barcelona.
“Today we suffered and enjoyed it. PSG will have options on Tuesday. We only have a small margin of advantage. I hope that our stadium will be a cauldron on Tuesday.”
Barcelona saw off PSG on Wednesday / Christian Liewig – Corbis/GettyImages
PSG boss Luis Enrique also refused to accept defeat, insisting he remains confident the French giants will advance.
“I think we were good on an emotional level,” Enrique explained. “When you concede a goal and especially at home, it’s delicate, but it’s something you have to get used to.
“There will be no difficulty in preparing for the Barcelona game. We are going there to win the tie. I have no doubt that we can achieve it. If there is a team that does not shrink away from home, it is us. There is no double value away from home, but it does have an impact.
“I have never said [Barcelona are favourites]. Historically, Barca is bigger. They have won five Champions Leagues, but I have never said they are favourites. We are going to go and win in Barcelona because any other result is not worth it.”
Ghanaian Reggae/Dancehall musician, Charles Nii Armah Mensah, popularly known as Shatta Wale, has been adjudged the Artiste of the Year at the 2023 Taabea Ghana Awards (GMA) United Kingdom (UK).
It was a big night for the sensational dancehall act, as he bagged five prestigious awards at the ceremony held at the Royal Regency Palace in London, UK.
The five awards included Artiste of the Year, Reggae Dancehall Artiste of the Year, Reggae/Dancehall Song of the Year, Most Popular Song of the Year, and Most Dominant Fanbase of the Year.
Shatta Wale beat off competition from Black Sherif, Piesie Esther, Stonebwoy, King Promise, and Sarkodie to win the coveted Artiste of the Year accolade.
Shatta Wale, who was the headline artiste for this year’s awards, delivered a masterclass performance as he thrilled patrons with a memorable performance on the night.
His entry to the stage was epic, as he dropped down from the roof to the platform while singing his famous hit song “Level”.
Shatta Wale’s performance on the awards night was enthralling. He kept fans on their feet and wobbling on the dance floor as he performed numerous of his hit songs, including “On God,” “Ayoo,” “One Don,” and “Taking Over,” among many others.
The awards also witnessed some epic performances from the likes of Guru, Praye, DJ Azonto, and Piesie Esther, among other Ghanaian musicians in the diaspora.
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The CEO of Black Avenue, D-Black, has revealed that the idea to venture into the entertainment business was gotten during the time he was working at a nightclub.
According to him, he was 21 years old and was working as a procurement personnel at the defunct Aphrodisiac Nightclub owned by Confidence Haugen when the inspiration to start his own business was born.
The businessman said he was also working for Confidence’s advertisement firm when she decided to hand it over to him to run.
D-Black was speaking on a yet-to-be-aired episode of Celeb Biz hosted by Amelley Djosu on Joy Prime.
“Before I started making music, I was working at nightclubs, so that’s where the aspiration for the entertainment business came from. I was working at Aphrodisiac Nightclub. It was owned by Confidence. It’s like a three-minute walk away from here. So I was one of the procurement guys they sent on errands.”
“I was about 21 years old. She started an advertising company, and then along the line, she let it go to focus on the club.
“She said, Listen, if you’re interested, you can continue it. Register your own company and do the job that we did. So I did that; I registered at Black Avenue, and I started working for myself,” he explained.
Celeb Biz is an insightful televisual journey into the business ventures of showbiz personalities.
The show unveils the hidden passions and entrepreneurial endeavours of celebrities, spanning the worlds of acting, music, sports, politics, comedy, and social media influence.
D-Black, known in private life as Desmond Kwesi Blackmore, said his breakthrough came soon after he had registered the Black Avenue Company.
He told Amelley Djosu that Coco-Cola gave him his first deal, the profit he diversified and invested in other businesses.
“That’s where I got a gig with Coca-Cola. When they introduced a new energy drink, in six months, I was making money I’d never seen before. So I took the money from Black Avenue, put it in music, and music made money.
“I put it in something else, and I decided to continue, so it’s been 14 years and 11 investments. financed maybe 5 or 4 of the 11,” the musician added.
Make a date on September 23, 2023, at 5 p.m. for the full show on Joy Prime. It will be streamed on Joy Prime’s Facebook and YouTube pages.
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During the celebration of Afe Babalola at 60, the celebrant, Afe Babalola, revealed that he agreed to bring his university (AFUAB) to Ado-Ekiti because of Segun Oni, pointing out that the former governor prostrated and begged him to bring it there. He revealed that he wanted to build it in Ibadan when the governor told him that they’d provide him with water, electricity, and a good road.
Afe Babalola further stated that Segun Oni went ahead to plead with his royal highness at Ado Ekiti to talk to me and accept his request. He added that Oni went from there to meet his mother, who later talked to him before he accepted.
According to him, “the community asked me if I could build a university in that place for the library, and the community said they were going to give me land. The government stood up and said, We’ll give you light, we’ll give you roads, and we’ll give you water. The following day, the newspaper carried the news that Afe Babalola University would start at Ayedepo next year. He (Engr Segun Oni) was the governor of the state then; he saw the newspapers, called them, and rushed to Ibadan. Oga, do you want to build a university in Ibadan? I told him the fact.”
“Even though he was a governor, he prostrated and said, sir, please bring it to Ado Ekiti. I said, Will you be able to comply with the conditions given to me by the governor—road, water, electricity, and of course, there is an airport at Ibadan? He said yes. He left, and I didn’t want to do it. Then he went to the royal highness at Ado Ekiti to appeal to him to beg me. They all came to Ibadan, and they repeated the same question. Then they went to my mother, and it was too much for me. I agreed to bring this university to this place because of this man.”
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The General Overseer of Christ Embassy Church, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, has stated that the fire incident at the church’s headquarters was not an accident but an avenue for bigger and better things.
He recounted that during the 2021 bombing incident at Ikeja Cantonment, the church building vibrated to the extent that he thought it would collapse, which did not happen.
The pastor mentioned that they took steps to bring engineers to assess the situation, and it was confirmed that the building was in a stable condition.
Pastor Chris indicated that he is not saddened by the incident, however, he and his congregants will build a church that is bigger to the glory of God.
“Nothing happens in the life of a child of God by accident. During the 2001 Ikeja Cantonment bombing incident, the building vibrated so much, and we thought it was going to collapse. I thought to myself that if it collapsed, I was going to build a bigger, better one. At the end of the day, it didn’t collapse, and we called the engineers to see if there was any need to bring it down and rebuild, but it was still okay.
“Now that this has happened, we will build a bigger, better, and more glorious one, and the devil will lick his wounds,” he said during a live Sunday service at the church’s campground, Asese, monitored by Vanguard Newspaper in Nigeria.
This comes after fire swept through the Christ Embassy Church Headquarters situated in Ikeja’s Oregun District, Lagos State, according to Channels Television, a Nigerian media outlet.
According to the media outlet, eyewitnesses confirmed the unfortunate incident, adding that multiple videos on social media have also shown the massive edifice being destroyed by fire.
They added that the fire broke out early Sunday and caused significant damage to the church property, sending shock waves throughout the immediate community and beyond.
The men of the Lagos Fire Service were already on the ground to rescue the situation at the time of this report, and no life was reported lost.
The Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Hon. Dr. Freda Prempeh has stated that access to good toilet facilities in our communities and homes across Ghana should be seen as a human right and not just a basic necessity.
She said there are 3.5 billion people still living without safely managed sanitation across the world, while about 800 million people in Africa lack toilet facilities.
She said that due to lack of good toilet facilities, people engage in open defecation, which is not good.
She explained that since Ghana and the rest of the world viewed access to water as a human right issue, then access to toilet facilities and an end to open defecation should also be viewed as human rights issues because they are all linked.
She said that open defecation brings a lot of diseases because people even do it in our water bodies, which does not make the water appropriate for use.
She stated that the government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources, has invested heavily in several projects that would help eradicate open defection and enhance safe sanitation practices.
She said at the end of the GAMA Project in December 2020, the project had delivered 48,641 improved household toilets, benefiting about 389,128 people, and 406 improved and modern disability-friendly, gender-sensitive institutional toilet facilities, benefiting about 251,872 pupils.
She said the project will also expand and rehabilitate the Asafo Sewerage System in Kumasi and provide an additional 42,000 household toilets and 129 institutional toilets in the Greater Accra and Greater Kumasi metropolitan areas respectively.
Hon. Freda Prempeh spoke to the media during the commemoration of 2023 World Toilet Day yesterday.
The commemoration of this day is to unite everybody who is passionate about toilets to ensure access to improved toilets.
The theme for commemoration was “Accelerating Change through Strategic Partnership: Every Contribution Counts.”
Hon Freda Prempeh therefore urged people to stop open defecation and help the government in its efforts to stop open defecation.
She appealed to the media to assist in the fight against open defecation.
Source: Clinton Akwasi Amoako/Peace FM News
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Title: UDM Exposes Fraudulent Court Order Shielding Government Official in Scandal, Minister Gwede Mantashe Under Fire
Johannesburg, South Africa – The United Democratic Movement (UDM) has unearthed a fraudulent court order allegedly used to protect a government official embroiled in a corruption scandal, dealing a significant blow to Minister Gwede Mantashe, who has staunchly defended himself against the accusations.
The heart of the scandal revolves around allegations that Mantashe, alongside other government officials, awarded a highly lucrative tender to a with links to the notorious Gupta family, known for their alleged involvement in looting state resources. Despite Mantashe’s steadfast denial of any wrongdoing, the UDM has now presented compelling evidence to the contrary.
UDM’s evidence includes a letter from the registrar of the North Gauteng High Court, which unequivocally declares the court order shielding the government official as fraudulent. The letter also asserts that the court order was obtained through a deliberate misrepresentation of the case’s facts.
The revelation of this fraudulent court order has been met with applause from anti-corruption activists who have long accused Mantashe of involvement in corrupt practices. They argue that this expose marks a significant setback for Mantashe and may ultimately lead to his resignation.
As of now, Minister Gwede Mantashe has yet to respond to the UDM’s damning findings. However, his spokesperson has dismissed the allegations as “baseless.”
This revelation has sent shockwaves throughout the political landscape, casting a shadow of doubt over the integrity of those implicated in the scandal. The big question now is whether the exposure of this fraudulent court order will prove sufficient to compel Mantashe’s resignation. Nevertheless, it undeniably deals a severe blow to his credibility and further intensifies the pressure on him to address these serious allegations. The eyes of the nation are now fixed on the unfolding developments surrounding this high-profile corruption scandal.
A level 300 female student of the University of Education, Winneba, in the Central Region, Rita Anane has committed suicide by hanging herself at her hostel.
She reportedly hanged herself with a rope tied around her neck during a visit by her friends to the hostel.
It’s unclear as to what led to the cause of the death but multiple reports suggested that she had a break-up with her boyfriend which caused her much pain to commit the act.
Due to that, the deceased’s boyfriend has been taken into custody by the police to aid in the investigation.
Source: dailyguidenetwork.com
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Multi-talented Nollywood artiste and music producer, Abdulrasheed Bello, otherwise addressed as JJC Skillz, has shared a powerful message online.
JJC Skillz shared a message on the test of Almighty God, who tests his creations to know their gratitude, perseverance, patience, faith and obedience.
The father of five prayed that God would grant the spirit and desire to attain his grace.
He wrote, “Every Situation is a test from Almighty Allah. In prosperity, he tests our gratitude.
“In poverty, he tests our contentment. In difficulties, he tests our perseverance. Delay in granting our request tests our patience. In trials, he tests our faith and obedience.
“May Allah Grant us the Spirit and Desire to Attain His Grace, Ameen. May the Merciful Allah Forgive Our Shortcomings and Accept Our Prayers, Ameen. Jumaat MUBARAK”
JJC Skillz announce separation from Funke Akindele
Kemi Filani noted that this is Funke Akindele’s first women’s day celebration post separation from her husband, JJC Skillz.
In 2022, JJC Skillz announced his separation from Funke Akindele over irreconcilable differences.
Dear friends and family, I need to let you know that Funke and I have separated. While it lasted we shared a lot of things together and have created 2 beautiful children.
The last two years have been extremely difficult. The last two years have been extremely difficult for us.
I know I have tried my best to fix things, but I believe it is beyond repair now. 3 months ago and at Funke’s insistence.
I moved out of the house and, apart from AMVCA, have not been able to get Funke to sit down in an amicable matter to discuss the future of our relationship.
I’m making this announcement, so the public knows we are both pursuing separate lives.
We still have issues that need to be addressed, such as custody and wellbeing of our children, which is paramount, as well as business interest which needs to be disentangled, but I have no doubt that these will be resolved one way or the other”.
JJC Skillz allegedly remarries
Kemi Filani reported that JJC Skillz allegedly got married to an Ebira woman, identified as Falilat Raji.
Reports claimed that the private wedding was held on the 10th of February, 2023, in Kano state, and had only family and friends in attendance.
Also, a wedding invitation surfaced online. The invitation had the singer’s name and that of his reported new wife on it.
Amidst the speculations, Kemi Filani reached out to JJC Skillz on Wednesday night, March 1st but he laughed off the reports.
Following those, photos that emerged online claimed the entertainment star got married to the said lady.
Actor Harold Amenyah says he has had proposals from people to have a threesome with him and his wife.
He says his comment on Television about having a threesome was taken out of context and he will not be willing to have a threesome.
“No threesome is coming on. It was taken out of context. It wasn’t something that I was pushing for it to happen. I was asked that before marriage, what haven’t I done before and I said that was one of the things I didn’t do.
It wasn’t an interview, it was a relationship show. It was taken out of context because when I did the show, it was three or four days after it started. It started somewhere and I don’t know how many people have had time to sit and watch,” he said on Accra-based UTV.
“The number of people who have contacted me that they will be interested is overwhelming. We live in a very hypocritical society. DM and in town, all over. They ask me what qualities we are looking for, can you imagine? Something that I said, people have taken it seriously and I’m even shocked”.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Wednesday, disclosed that the army personnel killed in Okuama, Delta State will be conferred with national honours.
The death of the soldiers sparked nationwide outrage as they were killed by youths while on a peace mission in theoil-rich State.
In his reaction, Tinubu said he had authorised the Chief of Defence Staff to bring to justice anybody found to be responsible for the “unconscionable crime.”
The President who described the killing of the officers as a wicked act, added that the attack on them is a direct attack on the nation.
Speaking at the breaking of the Ramadan fast in Abuja with members of the green chamber, led by Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President commiserated with the military and the families of the deceased.
READ ALSO: Land Dispute Led To Death Of Soldiers In Delta – Community Leader
Tinubu described the slain soldiers as heroes, and urged citizens to remember that they paid the ultimate sacrifice.
“Let us pray for Nigeria. Let us see our country go through these problems. I accept the sympathy, and on behalf of the country, I saw your messages for the loss of the lives of our military men.
“We have to salute them as our heroes. Responding to a distress call, they met the end of their lives in a savagery manner. Let us work to sympathise and symbolise the fact that their lives are worth the sacrifices they are making for Nigeria.
“We salute all our men and women in uniform and we sympathise with them.
“They must have a befitting burial and they will have national honours,” he said.
Sule Lamido, former Governor of Jigawa State, has weighed in on the reason the the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is experiencing a mass exodus of its members in recent times.
Speaking in a chat with This Day on the exit of notable members from the Party, Lamido blamed the situation on the procedures of the court.
He said the actions of the court and the leadership of the PDP have left the party in a precarious state.
According to him, PDP’s mass resignation was as a result of frustration engendered by the leadership of the party and the judiciary.
The former Governor said if the court did not insist that Senator Samuel Anyanwu was the National Secretary, when he (Anyanwu) went and contested for the Imo State governorship election, the position of National Secretary would have gone to another person from Imo State.
He also asserted that some persons outside the PDP are influencing what happens in the Party.
“Emeka Ihedioha and other chieftains of the PDP that resigned from the party were humiliated and frustrated out. They were humiliated by the leadership of the party, with the help of the judiciary.
“Ministers resigned to contest election. Other government officials and even party officials resigned to contest elective offices. Senator Anyanwu ought to have resigned to contest the governorship election in Imo state.
“What did he (Anyanwu) do. He held to the office of national secretary and contested for the governorship election. You cannot eat your cake and still have it back. You cannot appropriate the two positions. You are the national secretary and the governorship candidate at the same time. This is not done.
“So, when the stakeholders from Imo state complained, the judiciary aided him and affirmed his position as National Secretary when he lost his governorship election.
“So, Ihedioha and his group felt frustrated and humiliated by the action of the leadership of the party by failing to stand up for justice. So, as a person, I don’t blame Ihedioha and his associates. I can understand why he and his associates left. Some external influences are tele-guiding the party.
“The leadership of the party was extremely unfair to Ihedioha who first asked if Anyanwu will contest for governor and when Anyanwu said yes, Ihedioha left it for him and yet, Anyanwu still did not leave the post of National secretary. It is not fair,” he posited.
Renowned Chief Executive Officer of Vanguard Assurance Limited, Frederick Adotey Saka has been crowned 2023 Best CEO of the Year Award in General Insurance at the just-ended Ghana CEO Awards held at Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel on Saturday night in Accra.
The prestigious achievement is in recognition of his outstanding contributions towards the Insurance industry as well as being a highly respected company advocating for best business practices in the sector.
The second edition of the Ghana CEO Awards was themed “The Role of Business Leadership Towards Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Ghana”. This prestigious award recognizes and celebrates the most influential and accomplished CEOs in Ghana who are verified, committed to staying relevant, connected and ahead of the game while also using the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately the country.
The event featured tremendous dignitaries such as H. E. Mahamudu Bawumia, (Vice President of the Republic of Ghana), H. E Harriet Thompson (British High Commissioner to Ghana), H.R.M King Tackie Teiko Tsuru 11 (Paramount King of the GA States), Mark Okraku (Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture), H. E Charles Abani, (United Nations Resident Coordinator, Ghana), H. E Javier Guitierrez (Spanish Ambassador to Ghana) and several other important personalities graced the occasion.
Speaking to the media after receiving the all-important, Frederick Adotey Saka was extremely grateful for this achievement and to him, this reflects his commitment to delivering the highest standards of quality customer satisfaction and continuous improvement in all endeavours.
He dedicated the award to his staff and customers for their unflinching support all these years.
” I am extremely excited for such a wonderful milestone. This demonstrates our unwavering focus on meeting and exceeding customer expectations while adhering to sustainability and corporate governance standards”, he added.
ABOUT FREDERICK ADOTEY SAKA
Frederick has over 18 years of industry experience spanning Technical Operations, Marketing and Strategy.
He joined Vanguard Assurance in 2018 as the Chief Operations Officer and was appointed Chief Executive Officer a year later.
Before joining Vanguard Assurance, he worked for Saham Insurance Ghana Limited.
He is a chartered Insurer, an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute- UK, and a fellow of Chartered Insurer Institute- Ghana.
He also holds an MBA and BA in Economics and Law, both from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.
In addition, He holds a Group Diploma in Marketing awarded by the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).
Source: Peacefmonline.com
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Sergio Ramos has retired from international football with a “heavy heart” after being told he would not be part of Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente’s plans in the future.
Paris Saint-Germain defender Ramos, 36, is Spain’s most-capped player of all time with 180 appearances.
He made his debut as an 18-year-old in 2005 and was a key part of the Spain side that won three successive major tournaments – the 2010 World Cup and the European Championship in 2008 and 2012.
He was not called up for the squad at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and his last appearance was in March last year.
In a statement on social media, Ramos said that he hoped to play international football for longer but “football isn’t always fair”.
“The time has come,” he wrote. “Time for me to say goodbye to the Spain national team. To La Roja.
“This morning, I received a call from the current head coach who informed me that I am not and will not be part of his plans, regardless of how I perform or what I do in my career.
“With a heavy heart, it’s the end of a road that I hoped would stretch out further and which would end with a better taste in my mouth, on a par with all the success we achieved with La Roja.
“I honestly believe that this journey deserved to end at my own choosing or because my performances were not at a level worthy of our national team. Not due to a question of age or other reasons that, although I have not heard them directly, I have certainly felt. Because age in itself is not a virtue or a defect; it’s just a number that is not necessarily related to performance or ability.
“I admire and envy players like [Luka] Modric, [Lionel] Messi and Pepe. They are the essence of tradition, ues, meritocracy and justice in football. Unfortunately, it won’t be like that for me because football isn’t always fair and football is never just football.”
Following an injury-hit first season with PSG after joining from Real Madrid, Ramos has been a regular starter this season.
He is under contract with the Ligue 1 champions until this summer.
As well as being Spain’s most-capped player, Ramos is also the nation’s joint-ninth highest all-time scorer with 23 goals.
He added: “This is something I have to accept, albeit with this sadness I share with you but also with my head held high, and thankful for all these years and for your support.
“I come away with unforgettable memories, all the titles we’ve fought for and celebrated together and the tremendous pride I feel as the most capped Spanish international of all time.
“This badge, this shirt and these fans, all of you, have made me happy. I’ll continue to support my country with the passion of someone lucky enough to proudly represent it 180 times. My heartfelt thanks to all of you who believed in me!”
THE FORMER Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu, has lauded President Akufo-Addo for his remarkable achievements in the realm of climate action, particularly within the Climate Vulnerable Forum journey.
Dr. Kokofu commended President Akufo-Addo’s administration for its dedication to climate action and sustainable development, citing the establishment of the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI) as a significant milestone.
“The integration of climate financing mechanisms into our economy showcases the government’s unwavering commitment to tackling the climate crisis,” he remarked.
“Ghana has made substantial progress in transitioning towards a climate-resilient economy, and we take pride in being part of this global movement.”
During President Akufo-Addo’s tenure as the chair of the Climate Vulnerable Forum, which commenced in Glasgow, Dr. Kokofu highlighted the rapid advancements made by the country under the leadership of the former Finance Minister, who chaired the V20 group of Finance Ministers.
The V20 group, which comprised of Finance Ministers from the Climate Vulnerable Forum, aims to identify shared characteristics among member nations and explore avenues for integrating climate financing mechanisms into their economies.
Dr. Kokofu, an expert in environmental policy and climate change, stressed the pivotal role played by the V20 in convening Finance Ministers from diverse countries to exchange knowledge and best practices in climate financing.
As a result of these collaborative efforts, Ghana has successfully formulated the Climate Prosperity Plan (CPP), a pioneering initiative that has also been embraced by countries like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. “The Climate Prosperity Plan signifies a pivotal moment in our post-COVID economic recovery, recognising the essential role of the climate economy in propelling growth and development,” explained Dr. Kokofu.
He further elaborated that the plan delineates a comprehensive framework for transitioning to a climate-resilient economy, with a specific emphasis on viable investments in critical sectors such as energy, education, health, agriculture, forestry, and the environment.
Dr. Kokofu emphasised the significance of the CPP, highlighting its potential to attract private capital and mobilise resources for climate action. “The CPP is a game-changer for Ghana and other countries, providing a clear roadmap for achieving climate prosperity and sustainable development,” he said.
He stressed that the foundation laid by President Akufo-Addo’s government has positioned Ghana for success and looks forward to benefiting from these initiatives in the years to come. Looking ahead, Dr. Kokofu emphasised the vast potential of the climate economy, particularly in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He noted, “Climate economy for finance, jobs, and sustainability – positioning Ghana as the base for capacity building on climate economy for AfCFTA, with a market potential of about $3.3 trillion and a population of 1.32 billion.”
“The future is indeed exciting,” he said, highlighting the opportunities for Ghana and other African countries to leverage the climate economy for sustainable growth and development.
Dr Dk Olukoya, the he founder and presiding General Overseer of Yaba based Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries in a message shared on his official Facebook page, which is a Sermon delivered at the midweek programme held at the international headquarters of the ministry has revealed the Major Currency Used In The Market Of Darkness.
According to the cleric, in a message titled, My Life Is Not For Sale, he has revealed in his words thus; “the major currency used in the market of darkness is blood. In the market of darkness, earthly merchants trade with souls, skills, virtues, and human potential. The merchant’s of the earth, who are ritualists at wicked business men, who profits from the destruction of others”.
According to the cleric, ” the downgrading of people’s prosperity and dishonor are a market niche in the spirit world. The cleric had then prayed for believers in his words thus; I pray that, knowingly or unknowingly, if the merchants of the earth have stolen from you; recover your possessions by fire, in the name of Jesus.
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The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia launched a salvo at President Akufo-Addo yesterday, claiming that his recent address in Parliament only served to deepen the anxiety, hopelessness, and uncertainty about the country’s future.
“It was all too clear that this government is grappling with the extent of the crisis they have created, let alone figure out what to do to bring us out of the mess,” he stated.
Mr. Nketia stated in his “True State of the Nation” address in Accra yesterday that President Akufo-Addo has failed to persuade Ghanaians that “there is any end in sight to the suffering and pain that his government’s reckless and misguided policies have brought on us.”
“In the end, he cut an image of a leader who is hopelessly out of touch with the reality and genuine difficulties of his people; a President who believes that burying himself in a delusional bubble will make the problems vanish,” he added.
Even worse, according to the NDC Chairman, was the continuation of the discredited attempt to avoid responsibility for the economic atrocities that have brought Ghana to “this depressing point.”
He said, “Whilst they engage in vain glory, Ghanaians have to deal with the daily consequences of a collapsed economy.”
He claimed that the Akufo-Addo administration attempted to conceal the causes of the country’s disaster in order to avoid responsibility.
“We in the NDC, the only viable alternative to this bungling government, deem it necessary to straighten the records and expose the untruths presented to the nation through Parliament by President Akufo-Addo and to highlight that our dire state is self-inflicted and deliberately so by this government,” Mr. Nketia intimated.
According to him, NDC members believe that Ghanaians are suffering as a result of the NPP government’s ineffective and reckless governance over the last seven years.
NPP Response
However, in a swift rebuttal, the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) described the NDC’s address as mischievous, claiming that it was laced with propaganda.
“True to their unrepentant character, the NDC turned the press conference into a campaign platform, peddling blatant falsehoods, unsubstantiated allegations, and unprovoked attacks at the persons of the President, the Vice President and the Government of the NPP, the party said in a statement.
The NPP stated in a statement signed by General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong that ordinarily, the party would not have responded to “Asiedu Nketiah’s empty statement and unmeritorious effusions since he is no stranger to Ghanaians when it comes to such political theatricals.”
“However, paying regards to the enormity of the allegations and falsehoods he spewed, the NPP has decided to set the records straight by responding to the same with incontrovertible facts and data in order to assist discerning Ghanaians make an informed decision,” the NPP indicated.
“Details of the NPP press conference to respond to the NDC’s misrepresentations on the state of the nation would soon be made available. Notice is accordingly served,” the statement concluded.
A 29-year-old YouTuber has agreed to plead guilty to a federal charge after he destroyed the wreckage of a plane he purposefully crashed to gain views on YouTube, the US Justice Department announced.
Trevor Daniel Jacob admitted to Federal authorities he planned to crash his plane in a video he made to promote a wallet. He later collected the aircraft’s wreckage and got rid of it to hinder federal investigators from probing the crash site, according to a news release from the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
Jacob, a pilot and skydiver, agreed to plead guilty to one count of destruction and concealment with the intent to obstruct a federal investigation, the release said.
The flight took place on November 24, 2021. Jacob departed from Lompoc City Airport, in Santa Barbara County, but he never intended to land the aircraft, he admitted in the plea agreement.
Instead, he “planned to eject from his aircraft during the flight and video himself parachuting to the ground and the airplane as it descended and crashed,” according to the statement.
Authorities said Jacob had put up several cameras in different parts of the plane and took with him a parachute, video camera and selfie stick.
“Approximately 35 minutes after taking off, while flying above the Los Padres National Forest near Santa Maria, Jacob ejected from the airplane and videoed himself parachuting to the ground,” the statement added.
After parachuting to the ground and recording the crash, he hiked to the wreck and took the video data of the crash with him, according to the release.
The YouTuber reported the crash to the National Transportation Safety Board two days later and agreed to share the site of the wreck with the agency. But he instead lied to authorities that he did not know where the crash site was and roughly two weeks later, flew to the site with a friend, loaded up the plane wreckage and later destroyed it, according to the release, which cites the plea agreement.
Roughly a month after the wreck, he uploaded a video on YouTube called “I Crashed My Airplane,” showing the crash and Jacob parachuting from the plane.
His fans on YouTube were suspicious of the stunt, with a number of comments pointing out Jacob was already wearing a parachute, made no attempt to glide the aircraft to a safe landing area, and took his camera and selfie stick with him when abandoning the plane.
“Jacob admitted in his plea agreement that he intended to make money through the video,” the release added.
He also admitted to lying to federal investigators after submitting an aircraft accident incident report and falsely claimed the plane fully lost power roughly half an hour after takeoff, the news release said.
“Jacob also lied to (a Federal Aviation Administration) aviation safety inspector when he said the airplane’s engine had quit and, because he could not identify any safe landing options, he had parachuted out of the plane,” it added.
Following the stunt, the FAA revoked Jacob’s pilot license last year, according to the release. He will appear in court in the coming weeks.
The case continues.
Watch the video below
Trevor Daniel Jacob, a 29-year-old YouTuber who intentionally crashed his airplane while pretending it was an unavoidable accident, has pleaded guilty to federal charges and faces 20 years in prison. pic.twitter.com/QzlNAROu4q
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) May 12, 2023
: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of . accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
Nollywood actress and billionaire daughter, Temi Otedola is soon to unlock a new personality.
The fiancee of singer Mr. Eazi has revealed via her Twitter page that she is unleashing her inner pettiness.
Temi Otedola stated that her fans should stay tuned for her new personality as they haven’t met her before.
“I think petty Temi will be coming out very soon. You guys haven’t met her yet”.
Your terrible behavior caused me to act out of character” Temi Otedola tenders apology
Some months back, Temi Otedola, had tendered an apology on social media for doing the unusual.
Temi Otedola took to her verified Instagram page and shared different photos of herself rocking her new ginger hair and living a life that is out of her norms (her quiet personality).
Temi Otedola accompanied the post with an apology to her fans, stating she is sorry to have acted out of character.
She wrote: I’m sorry that your terrible behavior caused me to act out of character”.
Temi Otedola’s fans reacted to the post and commented with lovely captions as they grasped the humor in her post. Many claimed they were satisfied with her character.
It seems like Temi Otedola is already unleashing her pettiness as days back, she clapped back at Twitter influencer, Daniel Regha.
Temi Otedola replies Media personality over her engagement
The Twitter critic had queried DJ Cuppy and Temi Otedola over their engagement.
Daniel questioned why they got engaged if they had no plans of tying the knot within six months.
Daniel noted how Cuppy has been engaged since November, while Temi Otedola has been engaged since April, yet there are no plans for upcoming nuptials.
He added that he was quite sure Temi Otedola and Mr. Eazi aren’t married like he (Mr. Eazi) hinted at in an interview.
Reacting, Temi Otedola took to her Instagram page to slam him.
The daughter of Otedola told him to mind his business.
With nine out of ten of us using social media, we are just a swipe away from a run-in with criminals.
But tricksters are using increasingly clever techniques to hide their motives and appear genuine, making use of brand logos, fake T&Cs and copycat website links to lure you in.
They typically use links for you to enter your details. But clicking on these can send your personal information to third parties and, occasionally, share the post with your friends and family, according to consumer group Which?
Friends and family might then fall for the scam because they are likely to see the message and regard it as an endorsement.
Here are five ways to spot the scams and beat the scammers…
1. Too good to be true
Scam artists prey on financial vulnerabilities and try to manipulate your desire to solve problems you may have.
They will typically make an enticing offer that is too good to be true, for example, by selling goods at a huge discount, or an investment that pays a ‘guaranteed’ high return.
The first thing you should do is a quick search for the promotion online, says Which?. If the company or brand is promoting a deal on social media, they are likely to be also promoting it on their legitimate website’s homepage.
This applies to all types of scams, says Nicola Harding of scams awareness taskforce We Fight Fraud.
Dr Harding, who is also a criminology professor at Lancaster University, says: ‘Whether you are buying clothes or a console on social media, these things don’t come easy, so if the offer looks too good, it probably is.’
2. You are sent a link
Be on the lookout for fake links, and inspect any you aren’t sure about before clicking on them.
Bogus links can contain malware which allows the scammer to gain access to a Facebook user’s log-in details and personal information.
Users who click on the scam can, in some circumstances, be locked out of their account, with the hacker taking it over, and then is able to send the same message to people on their friends list.
In many cases you might not ever realise the link was fraudulent, Dr Harding says. ‘You might receive an email from Facebook warning you that there has been a new log in from an unrecognised address, never click on any links.
‘Go straight to the application and check your security from there,’ she explains.
‘If you click on a link from an email and it turns out to be fraudulent, you are likely to be directed to a page that looks like Facebook’s log-in website, asking you to enter your email and password. It will then redirect you to Facebook’s genuine homepage.
‘It’s very easy for them to set up a website that looks like Facebook’s log-in page, but in that moment, they have captured your details, including your password.’
Scammers can then steal any personal data linked to the Facebook account, including email addresses, phone numbers and birth dates — which can be used to break into any of your non-Facebook accounts.
With this information, criminals can take credit out in your name or change your address with the DVLA, apply for a driving licence and use that to commit identity fraud, Dr Harding says.
More importantly, if the account has bank details or financial information linked to it, hackers can also steal a user’s money, too.
Do not click on any links in messages that seem suspicious. Fraudulent websites often use a domain name that references a well-known brand or product name to look legitimate.
Look for a padlock next to a website’s URL. This means the site is encrypted, so anything you do on it, such as browse or make payments, can’t be intercepted.Most websites now have this feature, so if a site doesn’t have one it could be a red flag.
However, scammers can forge or buy these padlocks, so seeing one doesn’t always mean a website is safe, Which? warns.
3. The brand looks fake
Scammers use sophisticated tricks to pose as genuine companies. Check the post for branding inconsistencies and look closely to see if they are using the right logo, or if the presentation is up to the usual corporate standard.
If it’s a brand you’ve never heard of, go to its profile page and have a proper look at how it’s presenting itself, Which? advises. Does it look professional or sloppy? Read reviews for extra peace of mind.
4. Post keeps popping up
If you are seeing a recurring post shared by several friends on your timeline, this may be a red flag.
Your friends may not realise they have shared a scam link or advert. Send a private message to your friend or family member asking them if they posted the status.
Trust your instincts and remain suspicious. It’s better to miss out on one deal than give away your personal details for scammers.
‘If you are buying something on an online marketplace, think about whether you know this person in real life. If you do, then call to verify it’s them. If you don’t, you can suggest dropping the money off at their house.’
5. Bank transfer request
If you are asked to pay for something online by making a bank transfer, don’t do it unless you know the seller personally.
If you buy an item that turns out to be fake or non-existent with a credit or debit card, you do have some rights to get your money back. But if you pay by bank transfer, there’s very little you can do to get your cashback.
[email protected]
Source: thisismoney.co.uk
: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of . accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.
The Ghana Hajj Board has announced that prospective pilgrims to Mecca will pay $6,500, which translates to GH₵75,000 each this year.
According to the Board, the cedi equient of GH₵75,000 will remain in force till March 31, 2023, and may be reviewed afterward based on the prevailing exchange rate of the US dollars after March.
A press release jointly signed by the Executive Secretary, Alhaji Farouk Hamza, and Board Chairman, Ben Abdallah Banda on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, said prospective pilgrims are to pay early through any of the 42 Accredited Hajj Agents nationwide in order to secure their slots.
The 2023 Hajj is scheduled for Monday, June 26, 2023, to Saturday, July 1, 2023.
Mercy Amokwando, a prominent advocate of “Hope for Future Generations,” has highlighted the importance of prioritising immunisation in Ghana.
Miss Amokwando has asserted that, immunisation is not merely a medical necessity but also a strategic investment in the nation’s future.
She was speaking at the Ghana Civil Society Organisations Platform on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in partnership with SEND Ghana’s key stakeholders from the education and health sectors to get their inputs in the 2024 budget.
She underlined the urgent need for the provision of adequate resources to immunisation programmes to safeguard the health and well-being of Ghana’s youngest citizens.
Miss Amokwando shed light on several pressing issues that are currently impeding the effectiveness of immunisation efforts in the country. One of the primary concerns is the absence of chest freezers for the storage of vaccines at various health centers.
Proper storage is crucial to maintain the potency of vaccines and ensure their effectiveness.
The failure of the government to fulfill its commitments to the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI) has resulted in a shortage of immunisation vaccines.
This shortage directly impacts the health and well-being of children in Ghana. Health workers play a pivotal role in the success of immunisation programs.
However, the lack of motivation for these workers to deliver quality service to the people has been identified as a significant challenge.
To reach remote and hard-to-access areas, health workers require motorbikes and life jackets.
The provision of these essential resources should be prioritised to ensure that all communities have access to immunization services.
She reminisced about a time when mothers attending immunisation sessions were provided with supplementary items like tom brown, milk, sugar, and more.
These incentives played a significant role in encouraging parents to prioritise immunisation for their children.
She emphasised that immunization not only saves children from preventable diseases but also contributes to the overall health and prosperity of the nation.
Ms. Amokwando urged the government, health authorities, and concerned stakeholders to address these challenges promptly, as they are critical to ensuring the success of Ghana’s immunisation programmes.
As Ghana continues its efforts to protect its youngest citizens through immunisation, the resolve to overcome these obstacles has never been more crucial. Advocates like Mercy Amokwando and organizations like Hope for Future Generations are steadfast in their commitment to advocating for improved immunization programmes and a healthier future for Ghana.
The Nigerian military has reportedly eliminated the leader of the Islamic State of West Africa Province, ISWAP, Ba’a Shuwa, in the North East of Borno during a major attack.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in Lake Chad, on Friday, made this known via a post on his X handle
Zazagola revealed that Ba’a Shuwa was the ISWAP Leader of the Nigerian Wylayat, Lake Chad, Kwalfarji, Timbuktu Farouq and Sambisa Mantika of ISWAP.
He added that Shuwa was appointed in 2021 after Abubakar Shekau killed himself and he commanded terrorists in Chiralia, Markas Kauwa, Abirma, Buk, Abulam, Dusula, Abbagajiri, Gorgore and many other camps within the Timbuktu and Alagarno axis in the South of Borno.
The security expert claimed that the damaging airstrikes carried out on January 2, 2024 at Kwatan Dilla, in Abadam LGA of Borno State had led to killing of Ba’a Shuwa including scores of his fighters.
He said: “Killing of Ba’a Shuwa, a deadly defeat on ISWAP ISWAP failed to carry out their attacks tagged “GORON CHRISMAS” now they are trying to get revenge for the killing of BA’A SHUWA, ISWAP Leader of the Nigerian Wylayat.
“They don’t have the capacity to attack super camps anymore.
READ MORE: Borno: Scores Killed In Boko Haram, ISWAP Infighting
“They can only soft targets and plant IEDs, which always end up on innocent civilians.”
He added that the exploitation after the strike showcased footage of scores neutralizing enemy elements and equipment.
The security expert also mentioned some of Shuwa’s top Commanding Officers to include Khaid Hanzala, Ba’a Idirisa, Rawana, Abou Ibrahim, Mallam Abubakar, Abou Aisha and Abou Khalid who was responsible for the recent attack on the electricity towers along Maiduguri-Damaturu highway.
According to doctors experiencing abdominal pain or cervical pain during sex or even bleeding after sex could be a sign that the penis is entering places it should not and causing damage.
It’s however important to emphasize that pain, bleeding, or discomfort during or after sex can have various causes not the only explanation.
The body has its own way of communicating with us and here are some of the signs that your partner’s member is going places beyond what your body can take:
1. Discomfort and pain: If your partner has a huge member make sure you are well-lubricated before intercourse.
This is because inadequate lubrication can indeed lead to friction and discomfort during sex. Adequate lubrication is essential for a comfortable sexual experience.
2. Vaginal bruising and tearing: The size of the penis or the technique used during intercourse can contribute to bruising and tearing of the vagina especially if it’s too rough or forceful.
3. Uterine discomfort: Some women may experience pain in their uterus or lower abdomen due to the pressure mounted on it during intercourse.
4. Psychological Factors: Doctors say that emotional and psychological factors, such as anxiety, stress, or a history of trauma, can also contribute to pain during sex.
This may lead to a loss of interest in sexual activities when pains persist.
Communication between sexual partners is essential to ensure a comfortable and enjoyable sexual experience.
If pain persists or if there are concerns about sexual health, seeking advice from a healthcare professional is the best course of action.
They can provide personalized guidance based on a thorough evaluation of the individual’s health and circumstances.
Legendary figures at Manchester United are split over whether or not Sir Jim Ratcliffe should look to move the club into a modernised version of Old Trafford dubbed the ‘Wembley of the north’.
Reports emerged on Tuesday that INEOS chief Ratcliffe wants to transform United’s home into a state-of-the-art venue, increasing the capacity of the stadium to around 90,000.
It’s been suggested that Ratcliffe may lobby the UK Government for stadium funding in light of their Levelling Up commitments, with Mail Sport revealing that dialogue has already been opened with Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.
The existing Old Trafford opened in February 1910 but has not undergone any renovation work since 2006, when both quadrants adjacent to the North Stand were added to in order to bring the capacity up to 76,000. A leaking roof, crammed concourses and faded paintwork are just some of the current issues.
There’s been widespread debate over whether United should look to build a new home from scratch and move to a new site, redevelop Old Trafford in its existing location or rebuild on the same patch of land – like Tottenham Hotspur did.
“I hate to say it because I never thought I’d see the day when I would say, ‘Leave Old Trafford’, but the idea of putting a purpose-built, state-of-the-art stadium next door is appealing,” former centre-back Gary Pallister told Mail Sport.
“As fantastic a stadium as it is – and it’s not as bad as some people have made out – to make it the Wembley of the north might be the way forward.
“It could cost £2bn to build, which is mind-blowing. But as a player and supporter, to go into a brand-new stadium like Tottenham have got, maybe that’s the step we have to take if we want to keep our place at the top table and be spoken about as one of the elite of world football.”
Legendary goalkeeper Alex Stepney, who won the European Cup in 1968, argued: “I do hospitality and every game they come from China, Australia, America and Argentina. There’s a tremendous history. I think it would be tragic if they moved the stadium.
“You’ve got the statues of Sir Matt Busby and Jimmy Murphy; the Trinity statue and the Munich memorial as well. You would lose so much of the history, not just for the supporters here but the rest of the world.
“My preference would be to stay where we are. To rebuild the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand and improve the other parts of the ground with a roof all the way around. Build it up. Surely there are architects who can design that.
“If we could stay there and redevelop it, we could still get 90,000-100,000 spectators.”
Sammy McIlroy, who played 419 games for United and scored 71 goals, echoed Stepney’s sentiments, saying: “I would hate it if we have to move. You are starting in a new stadium to build history again, whereas Old Trafford has been there for years and years.
“People might say I’m old school but I’ve got fantastic memories of Old Trafford going back to my days with Best, Law and Charlton, and I would love to see them redevelop it from the inside and make it look like Wembley. What’s there now, make it better.”
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According to the young lady who is a university student, she doesn’t want to have anything to do with any African guy in terms of dating.
READ ALSO: Current crop of Ghanaian musicians are ‘one way’ – Kweisey Pee
The young lady is of the opinion that most men in the part of Africa are less mature and unrefined. She further added that they also lack the honesty and skills to treat and keep a woman. According to the young lady, she prefers dating a white guy to a black guy for her sanity.
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“African guys are not honest; they may not like you but still want to take you on a cruise.” A white guy does not do that. “African guys will just want to eat you,” she said.
“I would rather date a poor white guy than marry a rich African guy,” she said.
According to reports, her boyfriend is a half-caste, and she has never accepted a proposal from any of the African guys on campus. She refuted the claim that she was being racist.
READ ALSO: National Cathedral Brouhaha- God hates Akufo-Addo with Passion- Oboy Siki
Betty Kyallo shared some details about her private life, offering a rare insight into her relationship, which she has previously kept away from public view.
Babu Owino has written to the National Assembly speaker, expressing his intention to initiate an impeachment motion against Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha.
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