Ghanaian actor Kwaku Manu has been trending recently after news broke that his ex-wife, Okailey, remarried a white man abroad. Social media has been abuzz with speculation, especially since it was revealed that Kwaku Manu had helped her move overseas, only for her to leave him for someone else.
In an interview with blogger ZionFelix, Kwaku Manu shared his thoughts on remarrying. When asked if he plans to remarry, Kwaku Manu confidently responded, “Why wouldn’t I? How old am I? I got married when I was young, so now that I’m older, why wouldn’t I marry again?”
He clarified that their divorce wasn’t due to the distance between them. When asked if he experienced a broken heart from the separation, Kwaku Manu admitted, “Whenever you lose something, it’s painful. But whatever has happened is for the best; let’s leave it at that.”
Gospel Artiste, Nana Kwaku Osei popularly known as Nacee has expressed optimism in the policy ideas of the National Democratic Congress’ Presidential Candidate, John Dramani Mahama.
When asked on the sidelines of the NDC Manifesto launch at Winneba on August 24, 2024, the ‘Aseda’ said that judging from John Mahama’s past achievements, he was hopeful that the ideas the former President would benefit the nation.
“I believe he can do it because when President Mahama was on the seat, he did a couple of things and he has done those things before,” he said.
Nacee is not the only creative arts person who has declared support for the National Democratic Congress ahead of the December 7, 2024 election. Big Akwes, Christiana Awuni, Mercy Asiedu, Jack Alolome, and Kofi Okyere Darko are among the some of the people in the entertainment fraternity who have publicly endorsed the NDC.
For Nacee, this is not the first time he has shown affiliation to the party. He is well known for composing songs for the party’s campaign. Popular among such songs are ‘E Dey Be’, ‘Onaapo’ and ‘Mahama Okada’.
The National Democratic Congress has announced policies such as the 24-hour economy which aims to help boost Ghana’s economy.
For the creative arts sector, the NDC intends to create and promote ‘The Black Star Experience’ as Ghana’s flagship Culture, Arts and Tourism brand to make Ghana a preferred tourism destination. The Black Star Experience will undertake a year-round celebration in all the major entertainment, artistic and educational disciplines.
The party also has plans to support young digital content creators in developing content that promotes Ghanaian culture, revive the creative arts fund to provide sustainable financial support for start-ups and ailing large, medium and small creative enterprises, review and strictly enforce broadcasting, digital and local content provisions to stimulate local artistic productions, facilitate, enforce and enhance the collection and management system for copyrights and royalties in Ghana, among others.
Winners of ‘The Written Peace Creative Writing Contest’ with Ruth Boateng
A popular publication house in Ghana, Boat Publications marked the launch of a new venture with an event that underscored the significance of creative writing in children’s growth and development.
Held on August 24, 2024, at the Ibis Styles Hotel in Accra, the event convened psychologists, educators, and parents to explore how poetry, stories, journaling and other forms of expressive writing contribute to the cognitive and emotional development of young minds.
Experts at the event emphasized the role of creative writing in helping children process emotions, develop critical thinking skills and express themselves more effectively. Educators also highlighted the importance of incorporating writing into early education to enhance literacy and communication abilities.
A highlight of the event was the recognition of young writers who excelled in ‘The Written Peace Creative Writing Contest,’ an initiative by Boat Publications in collaboration with GILI, 233times.net and Oasis Wellness. The contest winners were applauded for their creativity and storytelling skills, with their work showcasing the impressive potential of young talents.
Winners of the prose category Godson Gad Adom- Believers Hope School, Daniel Ansoade -United Church School, and Sroda Nyadedzor-United Church School and winners of the poetry category were Jedidiah Djakumah -North Ridge Lyceum, Manuel Effah-United Church School, and Gloria Bedzo- Believers Hope School.
Ruth Boateng, CEO of Boat Publications, noted that producing educational and creative materials for children is a key focus of the company. “Our mission at Boat Publications is to cultivate a love for creative writing and reading among children. We are committed to discovering and nurturing young storytellers and poets, recognizing the profound impact of imagination and writing on their development,” Miss Boateng said.
As Boat Publications embarks on this new chapter, the company remains dedicated to making a lasting impact on children’s lives through the power of storytelling and the written word.
Popular Reggae/Dancehall Artiste, Stonebwoy has shared his thoughts on his recent reconciliation with socialite and video vixen, Efia Odo.
The two made peace at the Ridge Condos in Kumasi during the All-Black Party, following a period of tension after Efia Odo publicly supported King Promise for the 2024 Artiste of the Year award over Stonebwoy.
Stonebwoy acknowledged Efia Odo’s actions as an overreaction in support of her friend King Promise and her subsequent apology.
“What she (Efia Odo) said is her opinion. And it was very obvious to every person who uses Twitter and social media to realise that she was advocating for a friend like she says. She realised that she overstepped the boundaries, and went back through whatever means to go and apologise.
“The most important thing is that she realised that she had to do what she did,” he stated.
Stonebwoy however expressed surprise at the initial conflict, given his long-standing acquaintance with Efia Odo.
“It came to us as a shocker. No, no. I’ve known Efia Odo for years. Yesterday, when she came close, we were talking about that moment when I’d known her. So, I think she’s done an honourable thing that we should look at, but maybe we should ask her what led to the regret or what led to the pullback.”
He suggested that understanding Efia Odo’s reasons for her actions could provide insight that would end up reflecting positively on him.
“So maybe then she can state the fact that, okay, because of this, because of that. And that will probably make us see the rationale behind it. And it will point to something that will come back to credit Stonebwoy,” he said.
South African billionaire Johann Rupert has overtaken Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote as Africa’s richest person, according to the latest data from the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Mr Rupert controls Richemont, one of the world’s largest luxury goods firms, which owns brands like Cartier and Montblanc.
His net worth has surged by $1.9bn to $14.3bn, placing him at 147th position globally, 12 places ahead of Mr Dangote.
The Nigerian’s fortune has fallen by $1.7bn (£1.3bn) this year, giving him a net worth of $13.4bn, Bloomberg reports.
The downturn in Mr Dangote’s wealth underscores Nigeria’s challenging economic environment, where his conglomerate primarily operates.
Since President Bola Tinubu assumed office last year, he has introduced several economic reforms in Africa’s most populous nation, including the removal of fuel subsidies, which have contributed to high inflation, currently over 30%.
Mr Tinubu said the reforms were necessary to cut government spending and stimulate long-term growth.
The sharp fall in the value of the naira has significantly affected Mr Dangote, whose wealth is largely tied to assets denominated in the local currency.
The 66-year-old businessman made his wealth in the cement and sugar industries – and last year opened an oil refinery in Nigeria’s economic hub, Lagos.
His business empire, the Dangote Group, has also faced numerous setbacks in recent months due to production delays at its refinery and supply chain disruptions.
He was listed by Forbes magazine in January as Africa’s richest man for the 13th year in a row despite the country’s economic difficulties.
But the latest Bloomberg index places him second in Africa and 159th globally.
Special counsel Jack Smith on Tuesday filed a superseding indictment in the election interference case against former President Donald Trump, slimming down the allegations against the 2024 presidential nominee in light of the Supreme Court’s immunity ruling.
Prosecutors have not dropped any of the four charges that they initially brought against the former president. However, the newly retooled indictment has carved out some of Trump’s alleged conduct, including allegations about the attempts to use the Justice Department to promote his false claims of election fraud.
It also adjusts how prosecutors describe the allegations they are continuing to bring about Trump’s election subversion schemes.
“The superseding indictment, which was presented to a new grand jury that had not previously heard evidence in this case, reflects the Government’s efforts to respect and implement the Supreme Court’s holdings and remand instructions in Trump v. United States,” the special counsel’s office said.
The replacement indictment thrusts the question of Trump’s effort to steal the 2020 election back into the critical final months of the 2024 campaign. For much of this year, the ex-president’s legal and political narratives merged through his claims that he was the victim of a conspiracy by the Biden administration to weaponize justice against him.
But the Trump legal team’s success in using the appeals process to delay most of his trials – or in the case of charges related to his mishandling of classified documents, have it dismissed entirely – and the transformation of the race with new Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris has recently overshadowed the ex-president’s legal woes.
Smith’s determination to rescue his case after the Supreme Court immunity ruling underscores the huge personal stake that Trump has in winning in November and reacquiring the executive authority that would allow him to end federal proceedings against him.
According to a source familiar, the Trump defense team expected a rewriting of the indictment like this to set up the next phase of the case after the high court’s ruling. A hearing on the case was already scheduled in Judge Tanya Chutkan’s courtroom for next Thursday. But the superseding indictment coming so soon was a surprise.
The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) has condemned the Israeli security force’s “increasingly military response” in the occupied West Bank.
The OHCHR says that the Israeli military’s recent operation in the West Bank is being conducted “in a manner which violates international law and risks further enflaming an already explosive situation”.
“The violence between the ISF and armed Palestinians in the West Bank does not constitute an armed conflict under international humanitarian law,” the statement says, adding that “the use of force in the West Bank must comply with human rights norms”.
Since Hamas’s deadly attack on southern Israel on 7 October, Israel has carried out near-daily raids across the West Bank.
At least nine Palestinians have been killed after Israel launched a large-scale ground and air attack on the northern part of the occupied West Bank, according to health officials in the territory.
The incursion, which began early on Wednesday, involved hundreds of ground soldiers supported by fighter aircraft, drones and bulldozers, targeting three areas simultaneously – Jenin, Tulkarem and Tubas – in the largest assault in two decades.
The director of the ambulance department at the Palestine Red Crescent Society told Al Jazeera that Israeli forces killed four people in the Far’a refugee camp in Tubas.
The Red Crescent said its teams were having trouble reaching the injured because Israeli forces were preventing ambulances from entering the area.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said two people were killed in Jenin, while three others were slain when an Israeli drone struck their vehicle in the nearby village of Seir.
Reporting from Nablus in the West Bank, Al Jazeera’s Nida Ibrahim said that Israeli forces had described the operation in the north of the occupied territory as the biggest of its kind since 2002.
There are an estimated 80,000 Palestinians in the areas where the military operations are continuing.
The number of raids on the West Bank has “more than tripled” since the outbreak of Israel’s war on Gaza in October, she said, adding that locals across cities and towns confirmed to Al Jazeera that three strikes took place in three different locations overnight.
“In the past few weeks, we’ve seen an intensification in the use of aerial strikes against Palestine fighters … the Israeli military claiming they are combatting the use of IEDs [improvised explosive devices],” Ibrahim said.
Omar Baddar, a Middle East political analyst, said that the incursion appeared to be part of a longer-term Israeli strategy to “ethnically cleanse” the Palestinian territory.
“I think the context of it is worth noting, which is the fact that Israel has been intending to annex and ethnically cleanse huge parts of the West Bank for a very, very long time,” Baddar told Al Jazeera.
Israel’s military described the nine people killed as “armed terrorists who posed a threat to security forces”. In a post on Telegram, it also claimed to have arrested more “wanted suspects” in Jenin and Tulkarem, while confiscating explosives “planted under roads” in the Far’a camp.
WAPCO MD Mrs Michelle Burket providing scholarship to one of the beneficiaries
For ten years, West African Gas Pipeline Company Limited (WAPCO) has been extending a hand of support to brilliant students in its host communities in both Shama and Tema by fully funding their tertiary education through a scholarship scheme set up by the gas pipeline company.
The scheme first started with the provision of scholarships for brilliant students in the Senior High School (SHS), but with the introduction of the free SHS in 2017, it was extended into tertiary education.
For the last ten years since the scholarship scheme was established, a total of 642 brilliant students, drawn only from the seven host communities of the Gas Pipeline Company, in Shama and Tema, have benefited from the company’s scholarship scheme.
At the ceremony to present scholarships to the 2024 batch at Shama, it was a moment of pride and honour for parents who watched their wards receive scholarship packages to fund their tertiary education for a period of four years.
A total of 50 brilliant students from the company’s host communities in Shama received a fully funded scholarship from the Gas Pipeline Company.
Each student received a $600 package that would take care of tuition fees, accommodation and other materials.
In all, the company is spending a whopping sum of GH¢462,000.00 on the 50 brilliant students, made up of 37 males and 33 females.
A group pic of the scholarship beneficiaries
Witnessing the ceremony for the first time, the Managing Director of WAPCO, Michelle Burkett, conceded it was a true honour and privilege to witness what she described as a momentous occasion.
“We are here not only to celebrate the accomplishments of remarkable individuals but also to reaffirm WAPCo’s commitment as a company to the future of our communities,” she said.
She added that, the ceremony marked a significant “milestone in our journey, one that underscores our unwavering belief in the power of education and the boundless potential of our youth.”
She further added that as a company deeply rooted in the communities where it operates, they recognized that their success was intricately linked to the well-being and advancement of those around us.
Their mission, therefore, was to extend beyond the gas transportation services it provides.
The scholarship program, however, was a testament to their vision—a commitment to nurturing the next generation of leaders, thinkers and change makers.
The WAPCO Managing Director continued that, in keeping with their commitment to fostering education and supporting communities, WAPCo was proud to announce the award of the scholarship scheme.
The total cost of the scholarships for the current academic year, she mentioned, was pegged at 462,000 Ghana cedis.
In addition to these new scholarships, WAPCo, she indicated, was also supporting approximately 120 continuing students in tertiary institutions across Ghana, with an additional expenditure of GH¢750,000 cedis this year.
That brings the total investment by WAPCo in the education of students from our seven host communities in Ghana for this academic year to a little over GH¢1,200,000 cedis.
Mrs. Burkett added the company was honoured to contribute to the educational advancement of these bright young minds and
remained committed to supporting their academic journeys and future successes.
The students being honoured, according to her, have demonstrated exceptional dedication, intelligence, and perseverance.
That apart, they have also excelled academically and shown a profound commitment to their personal and professional development.
Their journey in that direction was a testament to their hard work and the support of their families, teachers, and mentors.
“It is with immense pride and admiration that we recognise their achievements and support their continued educational pursuits.”
She continued, “These scholarships are more than financial assistance; they represent our belief in your potential to shape a brighter future. They are an investment in your dreams and aspirations and a recognition of your ability to contribute meaningfully to your communities, the nation, and our world. We hope that this support will empower you to reach new heights, to explore new ideas, and to make a lasting impact in your chosen fields.”
She continued and encouraged the beneficiaries, “As you continue your studies and embark on your professional journeys, remember that you are not alone. You have the backing of a company that values your potential and is excited to see the positive changes you will bring about. We are proud to be a part of your story and look forward to witnessing your continued success.”
The General Manager (GM) of WAPCO, Dr. Isaac Doku, on his part, indicated that as the company marked this significant milestone of the scholarship program, it was important to reflect on a decade of transformative impact.
He said “Over the past ten years, we have been privileged to witness the remarkable journeys of many young individuals whose potential have been nurtured through this initiative. Your dedication, perseverance and academic achievements have not only set you apart but have also inspired us all.”
During this 10-year period, he indicated the company has supported 642 students from our seven host communities in Ghana. Out of this number, 356 were males and 286 were females.
The beneficiary students he mentioned are currently pursuing various programmes in seven universities in Ghana.
Their programmes range from Engineering (Aerospace, Petroleum, Mining, Mechanical, Industrial, Electrical, and Electronic, Geological), Doctor of Optometry, Dietetics, Medicine, and Surgery to Food Science and Technology, amongst others.
Turning his attention to the beneficiaries, he indicated they (beneficiaries) have demonstrated exceptional talent and an unwavering commitment to their education.
To that end, the award was not just a recognition of their past accomplishments but also a vote of confidence in their future, adding, “We believe in your potential to contribute meaningfully to our society, and we are excited to see how you will use this opportunity to further your goals.”
In a move to accelerate the delivery of affordable housing across the country, government plans to replicate the successful construction model of the National Homeownership Fund (NHF) in its upcoming district housing projects.
This announcement was made by the Minister for Works and Housing, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, during his visit to the construction site for the NHF’s Phase 3 project on Friday, August 23, 2024.
The NHF’s Phase 3 project, which commenced in April 2024, has already achieved remarkable progress with 129 new housing units now 55% complete.
This rapid advancement, achieved in just under five months, is seen as a testament to the effectiveness of the NHF’s construction model, which emphasizes speed, efficiency, and quality.
The project
Impressed by the progress, Minister Oppong Nkrumah expressed his satisfaction and announced the government’s intention to apply this model to its broader housing initiatives.
“When I visited in early April, this site was just getting started. To see some of these units now nearing the roofing stage is very impressive,” the Minister remarked.
“The speed at which you’ve worked is commendable, and it’s clear that you haven’t sacrificed quality.
“Instead, you’ve found more efficient methods to deliver these units, and this is exactly the kind of approach we need to replicate in our district housing projects.”
He said government’s decision to adopt the NHF construction model for district housing projects is a strategic move aimed at addressing Ghana’s significant housing deficit, currently estimated at 1.8 million units.
By applying the lessons learned from the NHF’s success, he explained government hopes to deliver more housing units across the country in a timely and cost-effective manner, ensuring that every Ghanaian has access to decent and affordable housing.
The Minister also took the opportunity to engage with the construction teams on-site, commending their dedication and the innovative techniques they have employed to ensure that the project remains on track.
He encouraged them to maintain their momentum in completing the NHF Phase 3 project.
