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Nations FC record first home victory against Samartex

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Nations players celebrate victory

Nations FC recovered from their opening day defeat to overcome FC Samartex 1996 in their first home game of the Ghana Premier League at the Kwame Kyei Sports Complex in Abrankese.

The newly-promoted side needed a goal in each half of the match to ensure they picked the maximum points, with a first-ever victory in the Ghanaian top-flight and in front of home fans.

Nations gaffer Kassim Mingle Ocansey made a few changes to the team that lost narrowly to Dreams FC in midweek with Japheth Norvienyo being preferred in the posts.

Captain Emmanuel Boahene started from the bench as Victor Oduro was handed a full debut in the game.

Following a promising start in the game, a brilliant attempt from Nations FC forced Samartex goalkeeper Lawrence Ansah to make a superb save in the 10th minute.Ten minutes later, the Premiership newbies had their dominance pay off after Barimah Baah fired home a nice effort to score Nations’ first-ever topflight goal.

Ivorian midfielder Amidou Diarra rounded off the victory for Nations in the 66th minute, having benefited from a James Sewornu mistake, as they continued to dominate the match in the second period.

Credit: ghanasoccernet.com

Gold Stars Get First Win Over Asante Kotoko

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Goldstars vs Asante Kotoko

Bibiani Gold Stars scored two spectacular second half goals to beat Asante Kotoko 2-1 at DUN’s Park Saturday.

Forward Eric Bosomtwi scored the winning goal in the 74th minute to hand the Miners – their first win over Asante Kotoko.

Bibiani Gold Stars went into the game looking for their first win of the season following an opening day loss to Berekum Chelsea.

Asante Kotoko had the upper hand in the lead up to the game due to their unbeaten streak against the Miners – but the Bibiani lads had the last laugh at the end of the contest.

Gold Stars had a first half goal from Alex Asso disallowed in the 20th minute. The former Inter Allies and Legon Cities anchorman took advantage of a goalkeeping error by Asante Kotoko goalkeeper Frederick Asare to spit home, but the goal was ruled out much to the relief of the visitors.

After a barren first half, Bibiani Gold Stars were off to a brilliant start to the second half – and deservedly took the lead in the 65th minute through Prince Owusu Kwabena.

The intelligent forward got on the end of a pinpoint cross from the left to head home.

Asante Kotoko leveled matters six minutes later after Sherrif Mohammed fired into the roof of the net from inside the box in the 71st minute.

Eric Bosomtwi latched on to a beautiful pass from the left side of midfield to score a spectacular from 40 yards – to give Bibiani Gold Stars the bragging rights. The win gives Bibiani Gold Stars their first win over the Porcupine Warriors and their first of the season.

Credit: ghanafa.org

Hearts bounce back with win against Nsoatreman

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Hearts striker Kashala Wanet scores the decisive goal

Hearts of Oak bounced back from their opening match disappointment with a 1-0 win against Nsoatreman FC at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday.

Congolese forward Kashala Ramos Wanet scored the decisive goal with a close-range finish just four minutes into the game.

Wanet’s header initially hit the post but then fell kindly to him, allowing him to make no mistake and put Hearts of Oak in the lead.

Despite having a numerical advantage after Nsoatreman’s midfielder Philip Ofori was sent off in the 35th minute, Hearts of Oak couldn’t add to their lead.

The win marked an end to a series of games without a victory against Nsoatreman coach Maxwell Konadu and provided some relief for Hearts of Oak, who had previously struggled against the former Black Stars assistant coach. Konadu had maintained an impressive record against Hearts of Oak, dating back to his time with WA All Stars, Kotoko and Legon Cities.

Hearts of Oak had made a disappointing start to the season with a 1-0 loss to Real Tamale United in their opening game.

However, their performance on Sunday showed promise and they will be aiming for greater consistency and improved goal-scoring as the season progresses.

For Nsoatreman, this defeat marked their first loss of the season after a winning start and they will need to regroup and make adjustments moving forward.

Credit: ghanasoccernet.com

NPP issues “consented” guidelines for Nov 4 presidential primaries elections

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Stephen Ayensu Ntim, NPP National chairman

The Presidential Elections Committee of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has released the guidelines and regulations for the forthcoming November 4, 2023, presidential primaries.

According to the Committee, these guidelines have been formulated after extensive discussions and consultations with various stakeholders, including the presidential aspirants.

Read the release below
It is important to note that all the presidential aspirants and the Elections Committee have jointly approved the Guidelines as an acceptable document for the conduct of the November 4, 2023, presidential primaries.
We acknowledge with sincere gratitude the unwavering cooperation from all stakeholders as we pursue an equitable, impartial, and transparent process to elect a presidential candidate for the 2024 general elections.
Thank you.

NEW PATRIOTIC PARTY (NPP)
OPERATIONAL GUIDELINESFOR SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 42023, ELECTION
Introduction:
1. T h e s e guidelines outline the procedures and rules for the November :4 2023, Election ot e l e c t a Presidential candidate for the 2024 general election.
2. The Electoral Commission of Ghana shall supervise the conduct of the elections and, shall have the full responsibility of ensuring a transparent, free and fair election. No persons, whether government, party official or otherwise whatsoever, shall act in contravention to the Electoral Commission and this guidelines.
3. Security activities rest exclusively with the police and access beyond security perimeters is restricted to Delegates, Presidential Elections Committee Members, Contestants and their accredited agents.
4. The Presidential Elections Committee of the Party is the entity with the Constitutional mandate from National Council to oversee the organization and conduct of the election for the Presidential Candidate.
5. The election will take place on Saturday, November 4, 2023, at all the 276 constituencies nationwide and the Party Headquarters, Asylum Down, Accra (277 voting centers in all).
6. In effect, there shall be one Voting Center in each Constituency Capital
Nationwide.
7. The Electoral Commission shall be mandated to recommend venues as Voting Centers across the country in each Constituency Capital. The proposed Voting Centers shall be discussed and accepted by all stakeholders. In case of disagreement, the Presidential Elections Committee shall decide on the venue.
8. A Voting Center can have more than one polling station but on the same premises, depending on the number of delegates. The threshold shall ton exceed one thousand (1000) delegates.

9. There will be no congregation on the day of voting. Therefore there shall be no provision to address delegates or the public by any National Party Executive, any Government Official, Regional Party executive, Constituency Executives, Contestants or their representatives on the day of the voting.
10. There shall be no campaign, canvassing for votes or gathering of party people for any purpose whatsoever a day before voting.
11.There shall be no camping of delegates.
12.Accreditation is constituency specific.
13.The media will be granted accreditation.
14. Voters are expected to “walk-in” freely by themselves. The physically
challenged may be assisted. A voter must wait to be cleared before entering the perimeter

15.No voter shall wear the colour or effigy of a contestant at the voting center (i.e. T-shirts, cap, posters of contestants).
16. Delegates shall not be allowed to enter the voting screen or booth in groups or in pairs.
17. Voting shall not take place indoors but in an open place in the full glare of the public. It is an offence for unaccredited persons to enter the voting perimeter.
18. A delegate who has already cast his/her vote shall not be re-admitted into the voting perimeter.
19. Any person found directing a delegate on which contestant to vote for commits an offence and shall be removed by the police.
20. No contestant will appoint government officials or any delegate listed to vote in the Presidential elections as agents.
For the purpose of clarity, such officials include, but are not limited to, MMDCEs, Members of Parliament, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, CEOs of state-owned enterprises, Managing Directors of Government institutions, Regional Executives, Constituency Executives, Electoral Area Coordinators and Polling Station Executives.

21. ALL VOTERS SHALL LEAVE THE DEMARCATED VOTING PERIMETERS IMMEDIATELY AFTER VOTING.

22.The Electoral Commission and the Police shall enforce and adhere ot restricting delegates from taking their phones and other electronic photographic gadgets to the voting screen.
23. Delegates shall not take phones to the voting perimeters and it is an offence to take a picture of any vote or show to any person or to the public who a person has voted. The police shall arrest such a person.
24. Agents of the Contestants are allowed or permitted to have their phones.
25.Any vote that had been shown to the public shall be nullified.
26.The Electoral Commission shall use complex serial numbers to avoid ballots
being traced to voters at a later date.
27.The Electoral Commission and the Police shall deny influencers, “Machomen” and undesignated persons access to the voting centers. All such persons shall be arrested with dispatch.
28.The Electoral voting shall be by a walk-in standard practice- the individual shall approach the polling area and vote secretly.
i. Presiding officers shall not call out names fo delegates in the queue to vote.
ii. Individuals will walk to the official and they will be assisted to vote accordingly.
iii. No delegate shall be escorted to the voting screen except those with issues and with Electoral Commission consent.

iv. Presiding officers shall issue ballots toone delegate at a time. For the purpose of emphasis, Presiding officers shall not issue ballots to people in pairs orgroups of persons.
V. Ballot papers should not be torn from any booklet in advance.
vi. Both valid and rejected ballots will be securely placed inside the designated ballot boxes and subsequently sealed with seals of the contestants. Hence, no person or official can know how any voter voted. No person will have authority to break the seals for any purpose whatsoever except by an order of the High Court.
vii. These sealed ballot boxes shall be in safe custody at Electoral Commission for 14 days and if there is no contest from any contestant, the Electoral Commission shall destroy the ballots.

COMPOSITION OF DELEGATES
29. According to the NPP constitution Article 13(11), the November 4, Presidential Election shall comprise the following delegates:
i.
i.
V. vi.
vil.
viii. ix. X. xi.
xii.
i. All members of the National Council
ii. All voting members of the National Executive Committee
iii. All voting members of the Regional Executive Committee
iv. All voting members of the Constituency Executive Committees.
v. All Electoral Area Coordinators
vi. The five (5) Polling Station Executive Officers in each Polling Station. These are Chairman, Secretary, Organizer, Youth Organizer, and Women Organizer.
vii. Fifteen (15) Members of the National Council of Elders to be elected
from amongst themselves
viii. Fifteen (15) Patrons to be elected from among themselves
ix. All Party Members ofParliament
Past National Officers
x. Three (3) representatives of each of the special organs of the Party- Women organizers, Nasara and Youth wing.
xi. Twelve (12) delegates from every external branch (27 Branches in all)
xiii. Founding Members who were signatories tothe registration documents of the Party at the Electoral Commission

xiv. One (1) TESCON representative from each recognized tertiary institution
XV. All Party Card bearing Ministers and Deputy Ministers

xvi. All MMDCEs

30.Every delegate shall be entitled to one vote and must cast his/her vote for a single contestant.
31. To be validly elected, a contestant must obtain more than fifty percent (50%) of the total valid votes cast.
32.Where, however, no candidate obtains more than fifty percent 5(0%) fo het total valid votes cast, there shall be a run-off between the first two (2) contestants, and the contestant with simple majority shall be the Party’s Presidential Candidate.

Issue of Tie in the Presidential Election

33.In the event that two leading contestants obtain the same number of votes but fail to obtain more than 50% threshold, a run-off election will be conducted to resolve the tie. The entire delegates will vote to break the tie.
34.In the event that one contestant secures the highest number of votes without reaching more than 50% threshold, where two other contestants tie off second place in a situation where the first contestant does not obtain more than 50%, a run-off election will be conducted to determine the winner who shall then contest a run-off to select the final winner.
A date shall be set ofr the same delegate to vote to select a winner. If a tie should re-occur, a ballot supervised by Electoral Commission shall be conducted.
35. Voting offences shall include the following:
a. To vote or attempt to vote more than once.
b. To buy or sell a vote
c. To compel somebody to vote in a particular way
d. To obstruct a delegate from freely exercising his or her right ot vote e. To display your marked ballot paper.

f. It is an offence to take a photo of how you voted in any particular way

Proxy Application Process
I. There shall beproxy voting and the opening of proxy application is Monday, October 9, 2023.
II. The deadline for the submission of proxy application si Friday, October 13, 2023, at 5:00 pm.
III. To successfully file for a proxy, one should show prof of ABSENCE or cause of one’s inability to be physically present at the voting center.
IV. An affidavit or a declaration from a Commissioner of Oath must accompany every application.
V. Proxy list will be published for public information and verification.
VI. Any false affidavit is a criminal offence and will be reported to appropriate authorities when a challenge is raised
VII. Only Delegates to the main Congress who are themselves eligible to voet, shall have the right to vote by proxy.
VIII. Successful proxy applicants shall have “proxy inscription” affixed on the photos in the Album and the assigned proxy voter would eb highlighted.

Voter Register (Album):
36.The Party shall generate the Voter Register for the Presidential Elections Committee and same shall be submitted to the Electoral Commission and the Presidential Contestants.
Validated Album (Voter Register):
37.To ensure utmost transparency and credibility, the Elections Committee shall make the validated Album (voter register) available to al participating contestants no later than Wednesday, October 4, 2023. This provision allows one week for thorough examination and verification of the album before the
election date.
38.The following categories of Delegates shall vote at the various Centers as indicated;
a. National Headquarters Centre
i. National Council and National Executive Committee Membesr
i . National Council of Elders iii. Patrons
iv. Past National Executives
v. Sector Ministers and Deputy Ministers who are non-MPs

vi. External Branch Delegates

vii. Special Wings Delegates
b. 276 Constituency Voting Centres

i. Founding Members
ii. Regional Executive Committee Members
iii. Members o f Parliament
iv. Regional Representatives to National Council
v. Regional Ministers
vi. All voting members of the Regional Executive Committee
vii. All voting members of the Constituency Executive Committees

viii. All Electoral Area Coordinators
ix. The five (5) Polling Station Executive Officers ni hcae Polling Station
X. All Party Members of Parliament
xi. Founding Members who are signatories to the registration
documents o f the Party at the Electoral Commission
xii. One (1) TESCON representative from each recognized tertiary institution
xiii. All MMDCEs
39.All Regional Executive Committee members shal cast their votesni a designated constituency within the regional capital.
40.TESCON representatives shall cast their votes in constituencies where their respective institutions are located.

Dispute Resolution:
41.All disputes, if any, arising from this process shall be referred ot the Presidential Elections Committee for prompt and amicable resolution.
42. Persons whose names are not in the Album shall be disallowed ot vote.
Acceptable Forms ofIdentification Documents
43.Delegates of the Presidential Election shall as proof of identification who either the Party Membership Identity (I.D) Cards, National Voters I.D Cards, Ghana Card or Passport.

Polling Time
44.The poll will start at 7:00 am and close at 2:00 pm at each center.
Polling Agents
45. Each contestants will have two (2) Accredited Agents but One
at each Polling Station would represent a contestant at all times.

46.Counting & Declaration of Results:
a. Ballots will be counted and results announced immediatelv after the close
of poll at each Voting Center.
b. The Presiding Officer at the Voting Center will announce the voting center results and a copy of the results forwarded to the Presidential Elections
Committee.
• c. All agents shall sign the declaration form.
d. Failure of an Agent to sign the Results announcement by the Presiding Officer.
e. The presiding officer at the voting center shall transmit hte constituency results to the EC Headquarters ofr collation.
Collation ofN P P Presidential Primaries at Electoral Commission Head Office
47.The results of the Presidential Elections from each Constituency shall b e collated first at the Electoral Commission Regional Head Offices
48.Each contestant would either be represented by himself and/or
his accredited agents (2 Agents) at the Collation Center at the EC Headquarters.
49. After the collation, the EC shall officially declare the results at the NP Headquarters, Asylum Down, Accra.
All contestants are invited to be at
the Party Head Office for this purpose.
50. The Returning Officer and one of the contestant’s Agents at the Collation Centre will jointly sign the results.
51. Election Officials to be Recruited
a. One Presiding Officer for each Polling Station b. One Assistant in charge ofthe Register.
c. One Assistant in charge of indelible ink
d. One ballot issuer.
e. One queue controller.

This guidelines or regulations is issued this day Wednesday, September 20, 2023 by the Presidential Elections Committee with the cooperation and acceptance by all the duly appointed representatives of the Presidential Candidates.

 

Akufo-Addo tells developed countries: You Are Keeping Our $88bn & Still Call Us Corrupt?

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JENNIFER AMBOLLEY
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President Akufo-Addo addressing the UN General Assembly

President Akufo-Addo has descended heavily on some of the developed countries which are harboring an estimated $88 billion illicitly transferred from the African economy to theirs, and still describing countries where these monies were illegally transferred from as corrupt.

President Akufo-Addo, who rooted his argument in a report of the panel chaired by the highly respected former South African President, Thabo Mbeki, on the illicit flow of funds from Africa, insisted that it was wrong for these developed countries to receive the illegal money and then turn round to describe affected African countries as corrupt.

The Ghanaian leader contended that since the $88 billion is seen as illegal money, countries which had taken custody of it must immediately return them to Africa.

President Akufo-Addo addressing the UN General Assembly

“Yes, those monies too must be returned to the continent. It is difficult to understand why the recipient countries are comfortable about retaining such funds, and are happy to call those countries from whom the monies are taken as corrupt,” he told the UN General Assembly.

He was of the belief that a joint taskforce of the African Union Commission and the OECD Secretariat, under the auspices of the UN, should be charged to find ways of stopping the damaging outflows.

President Akufo-Addo also demanded for the payment of reparations for the countries affected by the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.

According to President Akufo-Addo, “No amount of money will ever make up for the horrors, but it would make the point that evil was perpetrated, that millions of productive Africans were snatched from the embrace of our continent and put to work in the Americas and the Caribbean without compensation for their labour.”

He noted that the time had come for Europe and the United States of America to acknowledge that the vast wealth they enjoy was harvested from the sweat, tears, blood and horrors of the trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and the centuries of colonial exploitation.

“Maybe, we should also admit that it cannot be easy to build confident and prosperous societies from nations that, for centuries, had their natural resources looted and their peoples traded as commodities,” he added.

President Akufo-Addo stressed that the world has been unwilling and unable to confront the realities of the consequences of the slave trade.

He, however, indicated that, this is changing gradually and it is time to bring the subject of reparations firmly to the fore.

“Granted that current generations are not the ones that engaged in the slave trade, but that grand inhuman enterprise was state-sponsored and deliberate; and its benefits are clearly interwoven with the present-day economic architecture of the nations that designed and executed it,” he said.

The President continued, “If there are any hesitations in some minds about the paying of reparations, it is worth considering the fact that, when slavery was abolished, the slave owners were compensated for the loss of the slaves, because the human beings were labelled as property, deemed to be commodities.

“Surely, this is a matter that the world must confront and can no longer ignore. The AU has authorised Ghana to hold a global conference on the issue in November, in Accra.”

On the matter of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the President stated that, before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ghana, like many other parts of the world were making progress with the seventeen (17) SDGs, and she had good reason to believe she would achieve the 2030 target.

“Today, the picture we have on our performance is not very bright. Most of the twenty-one (21) targets designated for achievement by 2020 have not been met and we are not on track to achieve many other targets by 2030,” he said

Indeed, according to the 2023 SDG report, just twelve percent (12%) of the SDGs targets are on track to be achieved.

“Progress on fifty percent (50%) of the targets is weak. The most disappointing part is that we have stalled or retrogressed more than thirty percent (30%) of the targets. We need to accelerate action on the entire project,” the President stated.

Tanker Owners Union protests invasion of market by Chinese

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A petrol tanker

The Executive Secretary of the Tanker Owners Union, Ignatius Koku Doe, has raised concerns over the influx of tanker trucks owned by Chinese companies.
According to him, their checks have revealed that about 300 tanker trucks have so far been imported into the country.

Mr Doe noted that, the union has informed the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), which is the regulatory body, but no concrete step has been taken so far.
Speaking on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem, he said their businesses risk collapse if relevant stakeholders do not take immediate action.

“We discovered these tankers have been allegedly brought in by Sentuo Refinery, which is about to start the production of oil and gas.

“Already, the union members own about 5,000 trucks, and bringing in new ones to do the same job as ours will only create unhealthy competition,” he lamented
Mr Doe has, therefore, appealed to government to intervene to ensure Sentuo focuses on production and leaves the transportation of the products to the tanker unions.
“We are already confronted with the situation and we are confused because it is creating fear and panic,” he said.

Mr. Doe warned that if the regulatory body fails to act, they will put matters in their own hands and resist the operation of these foreign tankers.

KON advises MDAS prioritise to Communication agenda setting

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Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister for Information

The Minister for Information, Mr. Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, has advised Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to prioritize the involvement of Agenda Setting in government communications.

According to him, Cabinet aims to refine and optimize government communication strategies in alignment with a broader reform initiative aimed at streamlining government communication to the public.

Mr Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah interacting with dignitaries who attended the lecture

The Minister was speaking at a public lecture on the theme, “A Legal Framework for Communicating Governance,” which took place at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) on Wednesday, this week.

Mr. Oppong-Nkrumah noted that certain sections of the current legal framework, which facilitate the communication of governance, are characterised by ambiguity. He explained that these uncertainties within the laws often lead to misunderstandings when conveying governance principles. Consequently, he emphasized the urgent need to amend these legal sections to provide clarity, which will, in turn, support the government in its communication efforts.

“There are parts of the legal framework that have clarity and facilitate communication of governance. It is the ambiguous parts that create confusion in communicating governance. Amendment efforts to bring clarity to the grey areas should be seen to their logical conclusion urgently. Other non-legal imperatives necessary to facilitate agenda setting should also be urgently attended to,” the Minister said.

“In the realm of governance communication within the country, a complex legal framework guides the process. This intricate structure draws its strength from several key constitutional articles. Central to this framework is Article 67, which serves as the linchpin.

Article 67 defines the President as the nation’s executive authority, bestowing upon this office the supreme responsibility for conveying government actions, policies, and their ensuing consequences to the public.

“Outside of that, the President reserves the right to appoint sector ministers to help execute the agenda of the government, and serving as primary communicators for their policy areas, be it education or health. These ministers could make policy statements and field questions in Parliament, adding their voices to what government intends to communicate to the people,” he added.

The Minister for Information argued that despite the clarity of these constitutional directives, the legal framework lacked clarity in defining the mandates and roles of various government entities. Executive Instruments (EIs) that established Ministries failed to specify their mandates.

The Civil Service Act and Presidential Office Act he said are silent on these crucial details stressing that this ambiguity cast a shadow over the coordinated efforts of government communicators and posed challenges in agenda setting.

To remedy the problem, the Minister said the office of the Counsel to the President has initiated efforts to review specific sections of both the Presidential Office Act and the Civil Service Act.

This review, he said aims to inject much-needed clarity and momentum into the functioning of various government components, with a particular focus on enhancing communication.

Benefits of mining should be felt in host communities -Duker

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Mr George Mireku Duker, Deputy Minister for Lands Natural Resources

The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, George Mireku Duker, has charged mining companies in the country to take calculated and purposive steps towards creating lasting impacts on communities in their catchment areas.

Mr George Mireku Duker, Deputy Minister for Lands Natural Resources, addressing officials of the Ghana Manganese Company

According to the Deputy Minister, the development of communities in mining areas should feature prominently in the plans of mining companies as it provides the surest ticket to a mutually-beneficial and sustainable relationship between the companies and the country.

Speaking during a working visit to the Ghana Manganese Company (GMC) on Wednesday, 20th September 2023, Mireku Duker advocated deliberate move by the companies to create a community-developmental plan.

He made the averment that the companies should engage the various stakeholders involved in their developmental plans as that will enable them appreciate the needs of the communities they intend to help.

The Tarkwa-Nsuaem MP also mentioned areas such road network, education, health and water and others as avenues for implementation of Corporate Social Responsibilities.
He also charged the companies to be accountable to the communities by explaining to them their operations and the status of their exploitations.

“Every mining company shows us evidence of CSRs they’ve done. You have to design your plan with the chiefs. You have to listen to their needs and say this is what we can afford so that by the beginning of the year, you’ll have your plan attached to your operational expectations,” he said.

Speaking to the specific case of GMC, Mr. Duker urged the management to be deliberate about publicising their CSRs projects so as to make the residents of the communities aware of their positive impact.

He encouraged them to set up a fund purposely for undertaking Corporate Social Responsibilities. He enumerated a number of the specific challenges such as the lack of roads and public toilet facilities and appealed to the company to step in quickly and help them.

The General Manager of Ghana Manganese Company, Mr. Joseph Ampong, disclosed that the company’s CSR’s capabilities have been hindered by its inactivity which was triggered by the Russia-Ukraine war.

Nonetheless, he said that the company has made efforts towards assisting companies by funding the education of some needy but brilliant students, rehabilitating poor roads among others.

GJA Condemns Arrest, Maltreatment Of Journalists In Thursday’s Demonstration

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President of GJA, Mr. Albert Kwabena Dwufour

ACCRA, September 22, 2023 (GJA) – The Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) condemns the Ghana PoliceService in no uncertain terms for arresting and maltreating some journalists covering Thursday’s demonstration in Acra.

In our estimation, the conduct of the Police was highly unprofessional, absolutely unwarranted and inherently repugnant to press freedom and the dignity of the affected journalists.

The GJA is utterly disappointed in the Police for lowering the bar of professionalism by arresting and maltreating journalists who did not breach any law but rather breached their comfort on a national hallowed day (Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day) to discharge their cardinal duty of informing the general public about happenings in the country.

Our investigations indicated that some journalists, including correspondents of foreign media organisations such as the BBC, AFP and AP, were arrested in spite of the fact that they properly identified themselves.

In other instances, some journalists were maltreated and the Police seized their working equipment, leaving them traumatized in the process.

In the case of a Metro TV reporter arrested at the Accra Regional Police Headquarters for taking video of happenings there, our investigations indicated that she was manhandled by some police officers after arrest.

Some of the journalists were arrested near the 37 Lorry Station, which was a converging location for the demonstrators, and were transported in the bucket of a police pick-up vehicleguarded by armed police officers to the Accra Regional Police Headquarters.

Our investigations further established that the police officers who effected the arrest did not inform the journalists about their offence except to say they (police officers) were acting on “orders from above”.

However, a few minutes after they arrived at the Accra Regional Police Headquarters, a senior police officer was reported to have ordered their release because journalists were not among the targets of arrest.

Unfortunately, the Police, who had refused to allow the journalists to drive in their own vehicles to the Accra Regional Police Headquarters, left them stranded after their release, as they struggled to find their way back to the 37 Lorry Station area to pick their vehicles.

The conduct of the Police in arresting and maltreating the journalists who were non-targets, transporting them in the bucket of a pick-up vehicle (not designed to carry human beings) like criminals and leaving them stranded after release to find their own way back to pick their vehicles from such a long distance, was highly unprofessional and inhumane.

In the circumstances, the least the GJA expected from the Policewas an unqualified apology to assuage the hurt of the innocent journalists in respect of the violation of their human dignity and the unwarranted attack on press freedom.

We are, however, shocked to read, to the contrary, a Police press release issued on Thursday, September 21, 2023 denying the arrest of two BBC correspondents.

The Police press release, signed by Superintendent Juliana Obeng, Head, Public Affairs Unit / AR, described the media reports as “erroneous” in Paragraph One, adding in Paragraph Two, “The Police would like to put on record that the report is false and should be disregarded”.

Contrary to such claims by the Police, our investigations confirmed that, indeed, two BBC correspondents were arrested by the Police.

Therefore, if there is anything “erroneous” and “false” that ought to be disregarded by the public and even roundlydenounced for its deception, it is the Police press release denying that which is factual, and not the media reportageextolling the truth and fact.

Interestingly, in Paragraph Three of the Police press release, the Police admitted arresting two journalists but released them“immediately” when they identified themselves as journalists.

“The facts are that in dispersing illegal demonstrators, a group of them were picked up and sent to the Police Station. During their screening process, two persons identified themselves as journalists and were immediately allowed to go,” the Police indicated in the press release.

The question is: if, on one hand (Paragraphs One and Two), the Police denies the arrest of two BBC correspondents and, on the other hand (Paragraph Three), the Police confirms the arrest and release of two journalists, is it not prudent, in the face of contention, to disclose the identities (name and/or media house) of the two journalists arrested and freed to put the Police denial beyond doubt?

Why must the Police bury the fact to discredit the media in an unrelenting effort to cover their condemnable conduct against journalists and the media.

Again, where lies the honesty in shouting denial and claiming piety in consequence but not admitting the excesses as though the Police were sinless and the violation of the dignity of the journalists was immaterial?

The GJA believes the conduct of the Police in arresting and maltreating innocent journalists was distasteful but if the Police wish to add salt to it, they must not rub it in the wounds of the affected journalists, as the Police press release sought to do.

We, therefore, call on the Police to exercise utmost good faith and render an unqualified apology to all journalists who were wrongfully arrested and/or maltreated by the Police, just because they (journalists) were discharging an onerous constitutional mandate.

The GJA expresses its heartfelt sympathy to the affected journalists and wish them speedy recovery from the bodily and emotional harm they suffered at the hands of the Police for no crime committed.

We wish to encourage the media fraternity to remain resolute to their calling and never be intimidated by such attacks against their person in particular and media freedom in general.

END.

[SGD]

Kofi Yeboah

(General Secretary)

 

Businesswoman defrauded off US$20k & GH¢30k in a gold deal

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Court hammer

Louisa Shadeya Dewar, a businesswoman, has allegedly been defrauded off US$20,000.00 and GH¢30,000.00 by one Nana Kwaku Akyempin Otu III.

Nana Kwaku Akyempin Otu III allegedly demanded and collected the monies after assuring Louisa that he could supply her with gold.

The accused is said to have borrowed US$5,000.00 from Louise’s friend, Calvin Enoch Kumah, who happens to be the Chief Executive Officer of Boston Premier Microfinance Limited, but paid him with a cheque which bounced.

Nana Kwaku Akyempin Otu III has, therefore, been dragged to an Accra Circuit Court on the charges of defrauding by false pretences and issuance of false cheque. He pleaded not guilty before His Honour Isaac Oheneba Kuffour, after the charges were read to him.

The court admitted the accused to bail in the sum of GH¢300,000.00 with two sureties, one to be justified by movable or immovable property title deeds, or alternatively by a civil servant earning above GH¢3,000.00. The court has adjourned the case to October 23, 2023.

Brief facts

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Evans Kesse told the court that Louisa Shadeya Dewar and Calvin Enoch Kumah are the complainants in the case. He said the complainants, together with the accused, are both residents of Accra.

The prosecuting officer added that sometime in the year 2018, the accused person was introduced to Louisa by a friend as someone who could supply her with gold.

Nana Kwaku Akyempin Otu III allegedly also assured Louisa that he could supply her with gold, and, therefore, demanded and collected monies totalling US$20,000.00 and GH¢30,000.00.

However, the court was told that the promise made to the 1st complainant, Louisa, never materialised.

DSP Kesse added that prior to the accused collecting the monies the 1st complainant introduced him to the 2nd complainant, Calvin, as her business partner. During the month of March 2022, the accused pleaded with Calvin that he was in need of cash in the sum of US$5,000.00.

The 2nd complainant gave Nana Kwaku Akyempin Otu III the cash, who issued a post-dated cheque for GH¢140,000.00 to for repayment. The cheque was dishonoured when it was presented at the said bank. Attempts made by the complainants to retrieve their monies all failed to yield any results.

On February 21, 2023, a report was made to the police, and the accused was invited severally, but refused to honour any of the invitations and went into hiding.

The accused was later arrested by officers from the Police CID Headquarters in a related case, and was handed over to the Accra Regional CID after their investigations.

DSP Kesse stated that investigations established that the accused, indeed, collected the monies from the complainants. Investigations further established that the accused had no place of abode, hence, indulged in the act of moving from one hotel to another. After investigations, the accused was charged with the offences and arraigned before court.

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