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Christian Atsu’s name will never go away –says his partner Marie-Claire Rupio

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Christian Atsu and family

Christian Atsu’s partner Marie-Claire Rupio says she “hopes his name will never go away”, six months after his tragic death.

In an exclusive interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, Rupio has spoken about the former Newcastle United and Ghana midfielder, who lost his life in the earthquakes that devastated parts of Turkey and Syria.

The earthquakes claimed more than 50,000 lives with Atsu, 31, found dead under the rubble of his home in Antakya on 18 February, almost two weeks after the quakes.

He and Rupio had three children together, aged nine, six and three at the time of his loss.

Christian Atsu

“For me, it’s very important that his name is still there, especially for the children, that he was known, that he was loved by everybody,” she says.

“I just hope that his name will never go away.”

Speaking to media for the first time since his passing, Rubio describes the confusion over whether Atsu was safe, hearing about developments on the radio and the impact his death has had on her and their children.

‘I was shocked, it was hard to believe’

Atsu was in Turkey having signed for Hatayspor last September, while his family remained in Newcastle.

Rupio last spoke with him on Saturday, 4 February, and because his team were playing Kasimpasa the next day, he planned to speak with her again on the Monday.

Atsu scored the game’s only goal in stoppage time and his wife messaged to congratulate him. His reply to thank her would be the last contact they had.

On the Monday, Rupio heard about the earthquake on the radio while driving.

“I didn’t believe that it could happen in a place [where] he would be,” she said. “As a human being, you think this can’t happen to you or anybody you love.

“I was like ‘he’s fine and he will call’. But then after a while his sister called and told me that his building had totally collapsed. I was shocked, it was hard to believe.”

Subsequent news reports created confusion over what had happened with Atsu, who made 121 appearances for Newcastle between 2016 and 2021.

On 7 February his club’s vice-president said he had been “removed from the wreckage with injuries”.

However, the following day his agent Nana Sechere said that his whereabouts were yet to be confirmed.

Rupio then told BBC News she believed her husband was still alive and appealed for more equipment to clear the rubble.

“I didn’t really read any news,” said Rupio. “I relied on his agent, Nana, and his sister.

“Our children heard from their school that he has been found and then they came home and heard on the radio again that he hasn’t been found. It wasn’t nice, but I told them he might be found because you still want to believe [in] the positive outcome.”

Being ‘the rock’ for their children

Sechere was in the Hatay province to monitor the search for Atsu and later confirmed he had been found dead, after calling Rupio in the early hours of the morning to inform her.

“I couldn’t really cry because I was in shock,” she said. “I didn’t want to believe [it was true]. I think my body just shut down.

“The next morning the children had football and I didn’t want to take that from them. After [that] I had to sit them down and explain it to them.

“It’s not easy. It’s not something you would wish on anybody.”

Christian Atsu’s mortal remains

The pair met while Atsu was playing for Porto and he earned a move to Chelsea in 2013, although he did not make a first-team appearance for the Blues.

He had loan spells with Everton and Bournemouth before joining Newcastle, who Rupio said have “helped me in every single way they could help”, for which she is “very grateful”.

She added that the Professional Footballers’ Association have helped her find a therapist while her eldest son has had counselling at his school.

Rupio said that “he is the main one who is struggling because he has more memories” and is “not really ready to talk about it”.

Her younger son has talked about his father more and has been asking questions that “sometimes are very hard to answer”.

Their daughter recently turned four and on her birthday “she asked when her dad is calling”.

“You have to be strong,” she added. “You’re allowed to show emotions, obviously, but you can’t fall down.

“You have to be the rock now for everybody. I do break down a lot of times, so it’s not easy to balance everything.”

‘He wasn’t just talented, he’s been a good person as well’

Atsu made his international debut in 2012 and went on to win 65 caps for Ghana, helping the Black Stars reach the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations final.

Ghana’s all-time record goalscorer Asamoah Gyan was among the many to pay tribute to his former team-mate, and he is remembered for what he did off the field as much as he did on it.

Atsu supported an orphanage called Becky’s Foundation, helping to turn a children’s home in the Ghanaian coastal town of Senya Beraku into a school, and he was also a regular visitor, with some of the children calling him “father”.

A traditional week-long period of mourning was held after his body was returned to Ghana and he was honoured with a state funeral in the capital Accra, with Ghana’s president among hundreds of people who paid their last respects.

“He helped a lot of charities, even in the UK,” said his widow. “He’s helped a lot of people in Ghana. You can’t really talk just about [his] talent, he’s been a good person as well.

“The people who are close do know that, even from the outside as well, they have seen it.

“He’s built a school for children in Ghana and that’s something that not everybody would do, if they have money.”

Credit: bbc.com

 

10% ‘Chacha’ Tax Starts Today

By
MAXWELL OFORI
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Rev Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, GRA boss

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) will, from today, Tuesday, August 15, 2023 begin a deduction of ten percent from all gross gaming winnings as withholding tax.

The tax, which affects winnings on betting and lottery, according to the GRA, will no longer be subject to the former 15 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) rate.

However, profits accrued, following each victory, will be subject to the ten percent withholding tax.

In line with an amendment to the Income Tax Act, 2023 (No. 2), Act 1094, gaming companies that disregard the new policy will suffer punitive measures, including fines and revocation of licenses, the Commissioner for the Domestic Tax Revenue Division at the GRA, Edward Gyamerah, told the media

“Come August 15, we expect that when you are making the payments, you will withhold 10 percent to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA). As you have been appointed as withholding agents, the obligation is on you to withhold.

“If you fail to do that, with the interactions we had with you and with the support of the gaming commission, you can be assured that your licenses will be withdrawn,” the Commissioner for the Domestic Tax Revenue Division at GRA cautioned.

In the last ten years, the betting sector in Ghana has experienced a tremendous expansion rate, encouraging several companies to establish operation centers across the country. The same can be said of the lottery and casinos.

The commanding expansion of the venture comes on the back of sharp divisions among Ghanaians on the pros and cons of investing in the sector.

Whereas some emphasise its negative impacts on youth, others maintain it is an avenue to generate funds, with the agreement that it is legal.

The GRA announced the taxing of pilot electronic commerce, gaming and bet taxes in April 2022, but its implementation met stiff opposition.

With local and foreign sports beginning new seasons, the GRA looks to mobilise some revenue from the implementation of the new policy.

As of last year, there were 33 sports betting companies duly registered with the Gaming Commission and eight legal casinos in the country, whose operations had increased over the years and thus needed to be taxed, the GRA has explained.

An association of Ghana bettors issued a statement last week to register their displeasure over the ten percent tax, describing it as a recipe for chaos.

They claim that due to the lack of jobs in the country, the youth, who do not want to engage in armed robbery and illegal activities for survival have resorted to betting and games of chance.

SWEAT FOR MONEY

However, the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, has justified the ten percent withholding tax on betting and lottery winnings.

He told Angel FM in Kumasi that he believes in sweating for money as opposed to playing the lottery and betting, arguing that it has contributed to a sense of laziness among the youth.

“I don’t believe in betting. I don’t believe in luck. I believe in hard work and sweating to get money. Let’s be serious. As for me, I’m against betting coming into the country. I don’t support it because it doesn’t encourage hard work.

“As an individual, I don’t engage in the lottery because I don’t believe in that. I don’t believe in luck. Work hard so God will bless it.”

BoG is not obliged to report daily activities to Parliament

By
MAXWELL OFORI
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Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu - Majority Leader

The Majority Leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, has jumped to the defense of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) over the recent attacks by the minority, saying that the opposition’s demand is not backed by law.

According to the Majority Leader, the BoG is not obligated to report directly to Parliament on its daily activities.

He was speaking with an Accra-based radio station, Oman FM, following a news conference addressed by the Minority Leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who is a former deputy minister for finance.

He indicated that the intricacies of the Central Bank’s operations should be well known to someone who has served in a finance-related capacity, asserting that issues of this nature should not be politicised.

Ato Forson, leading the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), blamed the BoG for causing its own woes. He argued that the Central Bank printed substantial amounts in 2021 and 2022 to fund government operations without recourse to the August House.

The Minority claimed that the action by the BoG was in direct violation of the BoG Act and, as such, demanded that the Governor appear before Parliament to provide explanations for the action.

However, the Suame Legislator, Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, would not agree with his colleagues on the other side on the issue, arguing that Dr. Ato Forson, who addressed the issue, should have known better.

He criticised the Minority’s approach and urged against turning every matter into a political battle.

“The Bank of Ghana Governor does not directly report to Parliament. We should not make everything about the NPP and the NDC. Ato Forson should have known better because he has held the position of deputy minister of finance before and knows the operations of the Bank of Ghana,” emphasised Mensah Bonsu in an interview with Oman FM.

Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu further clarified that, except for reporting foreign exchange receipts, the bank is not legally required to submit daily activity reports to Parliament, defending that the BoG has consistently adhered to the provision of reporting foreign exchange receipts as mandated by law.

BOG RESPONSE

The minority had argued that the Central Bank was bankrupt, due to its poor performance over the last two years at least. But the BoG maintains that technically, it could not be bankrupt.

The Central Bank argued that comparing the 2022 financial performance with 2021 without taking cognisance of the economic situation in the country is “misleading.”

The bank said the year 2022 was the “peak of economic and social crisis in Ghana. A culmination of fiscal overruns and debt distress resulted in Ghana losing access to both international and domestic markets.”

Rating agencies downgraded Ghana to the junk category because of its huge macro-economic imbalances. The cedi depreciated sharply from GH₡6 to the dollar at the end of 2021 to almost GH₡13.1 to the dollar at the end of November 2022 until it came down to about GH₡8.57 to the dollar at the end of December 2022 (resulting in about 30 percent on a year-on-year basis and an average of 31.13%).

Similarly, inflation rose from an average of 12.62 percent at the end of December 2021 to 54.14 percent at the end of December 2022.

These developments, the BoG stated, had a significant impact on the operations of the Bank and every other entity in the country.

Meanwhile, the BoG insisted that a year-on-year comparison of the financial statements of all entities in Ghana would reveal these sharp jumps.

YEA’s Garment & Apparel module to employ over 2,600 youth

By
SEBASTIAN R. FREIKU
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Chief of Staff Frema Opare speaking at the programme

The Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has launched the Garment and Apparel Training and Employment programme to equip and empower, in line with Act 2015 (Act 887), young people to contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic and sustainable development of the nation.

Section of the public and garment industry players

The module comes from the realisation that the garment and apparel industry plays a significant role in the economy, contributing to export revenue, employment generation, and cultural preservation.

It is expected to afford the beneficiaries in depth knowledge and skills training in dressmaking and tailoring, as well as fabric selection, cutting techniques, sewing, garment construction, pattern making, and alterations.

Launching the first phase of the module at the Prempeh Assembly Hall in Kumasi yesterday, the Chief of Staff, Mrs. Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, noted that the Garment and Apparel module was a laudable initiative, and indicated that a lot more modules remained to be outdoored to provide livelihoods to the teeming youth.

Kofi Agyepong, YEA CEO

She mentioned the COTVET, NEIP, Youth Start and the National Apprenticeship policy, which made it compulsory for all students in TVET schools as a few of such initiatives.

The Chief of Staff announced that on completion of the training the beneficiaries would be provided with the necessary start up kits and tools, and financial assistance.

She admonished the various master craftsmen to demonstrate commitment by providing quality training to ensure a business culture among the trainees.

Mrs. Osei-Opare also advised the trainees to submit to training requirements and conditions, and said the YEA would monitor their activities and performance.

Mr Kofi Agyapong handing over cheque to one of the beneficiaries

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the YEA, Kofi Agyepong, announced that the Agency recruited 6,000 Community Health workers, 15,000 Community Public Assistants and 1,500 Prison Assistants, 45,000 in Youth in Sanitation and 4,000 farm workers to grow productivity in the cocoa sector, and 2,000 in Youth in ICT all fully funded by the YEA in the first year of his administration.

According to him, the YEA exceeded its estimated 71,500 recruitment projections throughout its programmes of for 2023 by 18% to 84,483.

The stand of Ammatu Munkaila Creations at the launch

The CEO also announced that 500 master craftsmen would be recruited and funded at GH¢10,000 each for the training of three more apprentices at the monthly salary of GH¢500.

Mr. Kofi Agyepong, however, appealed to the government to consider an increase in the financial support of the YEA to adequately cater for the sustainable employment needs of the youth.

According to him, budgetary allocation to the YEA kept decreasing on a yearly basis, hence the urgent need to review its financial support to enable the Agency provide sustainable employment for the youth all year round.

The Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, Mr. Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sunyani West, as well as a member of the International Labour Organisation/United Nations (ILO/UN) Council, said the YEA would soon roll out another mega project to cover other initiatives to engage the youth in employable skills in dressmaking and fashion designing.

Fashion Immaculate Designs receiving a dummy check for training of apprentices

Present at the inauguration of the Garment and Apparel module, during which funding was provided to the various master craftsmen, were the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, Dr. Kingsley Nyarko, MP for Kwadaso, Vincent Ekow Asafua, MP for Old Tafo, and Nana Ampofo Kyei Baffour, Asemhene.

Nana AkwanziAbraba IV inspects collapsed Princess Town Bridge

By
KWESI ALFRED ADAMS
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Nana Akwanzi Abraba IV, Divisional chief for Princess Town inspecting the bridge

Princess Town, Cape Three Points and other communities in the Ahanta West municipality of the Western Region have been cut off from the rest of the country, following the collapse of the only bridge that links the communities to Agona Nkwanta, the municipal capital, in June this year, after a heavy downpour.

Though it is almost two months since the bridge collapsed, there are no signs that it would soon be repaired to enable the community members who are mostly farmers to transport their farm produce to the market centres.

One side of the collapsed bridge

Currently, the farmers are paying double the price they were previously paying to transport the farm produce to Takoradi and other centres because they have to offload the produce into another vehicle at the site of the collapsed bridge, before sending them to market centres.

This reporter witnessed rubber farmers for instance, offloading their cup lumps onto another vehicle waiting at the other side of the bridge before being sent to the centres for the buyers to buy.

Joseph Bodoh, Assembly Member for Princess Town told The Chronicle that the collapse of the bridge had come as a heavy cost to the community.This is because it has led to increase in transport fares.

“People transport their farm produce at a cost and then pay for another transport fare for loading and offloading to the business centres,” he said, adding “those who are sick and the dead had to be carried from one end of the bridge to cross to another, before they can be transported to health centres”.

He continued that: “at one night, an attempt to transport a corpse failed because on reaching one end of the bridge, there was no transport at the other end to send the corpse to the Mortuary for preservation. So the family had to return the corpse home for traditional preservation.

“That apart, electricity in the community is also off because the staff of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) are unable to travel across the collapsed bridge to the community to fix their power glitches. So until the bridge is fixed, there is no way the power glitches would be resolved.”

Asked whether the Municipal Assembly was aware of the plight of the pole of Princess Town, Assembly Member Bordoh answered in the affirmative.

Farm produce stuck at the bride

Following the myriad challenges facing his electoral area after the collapse of the bridge, he sent a word to the chief of Princess Town, Nana AkwanziAbraba IV, who is also a Member of the Council of State.

Together with the chief, they went to the office of the Highways to inform them about the collapse of the bridge.

According to him, looking at the body language of the Ghana Highway Director, he thought the bridge would be fixed soon “but we are in August and nothing has been done”.

Meanwhile, Nana AkwanziAbraba IV who is the Divisional Chief of Princess Town has paid a visit to the site of the bridge to inspect the extent of damage. She arrived with the Managing Director of Peekob Construction, a construction firm revered in the building and maintenance of bridges to access the damage.

Ebusuapayin Nii Sabahn Quaye and Nana Akye Kessie, chief of Cape Three Points, accompanied Nana AkwanziAbraba IV.

Speaking to this reporter, the Council of State Member expressed worry over the development. “It’s a worry and we don’t even know what to do. I plead we all find ways to help in fixing the problem”.

The Princess Town Divisional stool chief continued: “I am much concerned about the sick and I think government must intervene”.As a Council of State Member, she said she would use her office to appeal for support for the fixing of the collapsed bridge.

Mr. Peter Obosu, Managing Director of Peekob Construction told the Council of state Member and chiefs of the area that for now, a temporary access route would be created for pedestrians and trucks.

Mahama preaches against coups

By
STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG
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John Dramani Mahama

The 2024 presidential candidate for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, has strongly advocated constitutional governance as opposed to coups.

According to him, regardless of any difficult circumstances, the best way citizens should register their pleasure is through the thumb on election days to change the government they do not want.

Mr. Mahama posted on his Facebook page to encourage a peaceful change of government, whilst the nation counts down to the 2024 elections.

The former president stated that “Constitutional governance is still the best; it allows us to peacefully change our leaders if we believe they are not working in the interest of the people. 43 days to go for the verdict of the people.”

His comments come weeks after the military takeover in Niger, led by soldiers belonging to the presidential guard.

The coup has largely been condemned by both local and international bodies, including the United States, France, the European Union and ECOWAS.

In a move to return the country to constitutional rule, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), at its last emergency meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, activated its standby force to invade Niger.

The decision followed an ultimatum given by the military junta to free the constitutionally elected president and return the nation to civil rule.

Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Benin have all said they are willing to send troops into Niger if ECOWAS decides to do so.

Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have already warned ECOWAS to be tactical in its deployment, though the move may put the fear of God on the coup makers operators.

However, Russia and other superpowers have also warned the ECOWAS not to dare deploy any troops to Niger.

Man, 43, jailed 8 years for stealing

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Accra Circuit Court

An Accra Circuit Court has convicted a 43 years old unemployed, Mohammed Ali Yusif, alias Slim (A1), to a total of eight years imprisonment for stealing.

The court, presided over by Mr. Isaac Oheneba Kuffour, sentenced Ali to four years on conspiracy to commit a crime – stealing, and others.

His Honour Oheneba ordered that the counts should run concurrently, hence Ali would be incarcerated for four years.

Other persons – Daniel Anafo, 21 and unemployed, and Tanko Mohamed, 35 and a trader,  put before the court with the convict pleaded not guilty to conspiracy  to steal and dishonestly receiving. The trial of the others has been adjourned to September 19, 2023.

BRIEF FACTS

The court was told by Chief Inspector John Gohoho that the complainant, Annabelle Augustina Calvert, is a fashion designer and a resident of East Legon in Accra.

He added that the accused persons live at Achimota Railways, while the convict was staying at Achimota Kingsby.

The Chief Inspector indicated that on March 4, 2023, at about 10.30pm, the Accra Regional Police Intelligence Directorate was informed that a young man at Achimota Charcoal Station was in possession of a digital voice recorder suspected to have been stolen, and was offering it for sale.

A team of intelligence officers was dispatched to the said location where Al was, and he was duly arrested together with the Olympus digital voice recorder.

Based on this, the team proceeded to Achimota Railways and arrested Tanko Mohamed and a Nikon digital Camera was retrieved from him.

During investigation, Daniel admitted to have stolen the said digital voice recorder together with the digital camera and other valuable items from a white man’s residence.

He mentioned Mohammed Ali Yusif, alias Slim, as his accomplice and led the police to the residence of the complainant where he demonstrated how he and the convict gained ingress into the residence and stole the items. The convict was finally arrested after months of being at large.

He said investigation revealed that on February 19, 2023, at about 10.00pm, Daniel and the convict, who are good friends, met at their usual base at Achimota Railways and planned to go on a stealing operation.

Together they walked to Abofu, Achimota overhead, where they boarded a commercial vehicle to Tetteh Quarshie Roundabout near the Accra Shopping Mall.

They walked through the motorway and entered the East Legon community and finally got to the complainant’s residence at 12.00 midnight on February 20.

Daniel and Ali scaled the fence wall into the house and further scaled up onto the balcony on first floor at the back of the building and gained ingress into the building through the backdoor.

In one of the rooms, they stole one laptop computer valued GH¢3,000.00, one Nikon digital camera, GH¢4,000.00, two pieces of Kente cloth, GH¢5,800.00, one Samsung Galaxy S3 mini mobile phone, GH¢1,500.00, one Olympus digital voice recorder, GH¢3000.00 and two Kente cloth, GH¢2,000.00

They fled with their booty and sold them to Tanko and others. Tanko allegedly received the Nikon digital camera valued GH¢4,000.00,After investigation, the accused persons and the convict were put before court.

Transferring a deceased’s property without LA could land you in jail -CHRAJ

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admin
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John Ato Breboh, Senior Principal Investigator

John Ato Breboh, Senior Principal Investigator, Tema Regional Office, Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), has stated that transferring the property of a deceased person without a Letter of Administration (LA) could land the perpetrator a five-year jail term.

He explained that LA was the legal authority given by the court to a person(s) to administer the estate of a deceased person who died without a valid will.

“Under the laws of Ghana, it is an offence to deal with or administer an estate of a deceased person without first securing the needed authority from the court,” Mr. Breboh stated at the Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office’s Industrial News Hub Boardroom Dialogue platform.

The Dialogue is a media think-tank platform for state and non-state and commercial and business operators to communicate with the world.

He said the time taken to get a probate or letters of administration varies according to the circumstances. “It may only take three to five weeks if there are no complications, inheritance tax is not payable, the estate is straightforward, and all forms are filled in properly.”

Speaking on the tenets of the Intestate Succession Law, Mr. Breboh said all the property of the deceased were to be listed in the LA to ensure equal distribution to the appropriate persons, and cautioned against applications without stating all the property of the deceased.

He said that not stating all the property meant that the deceased did not have such assets, and that could result in further misunderstanding among family members.

Mr. Breboh said people failed to list the property while applying for an LA, because of the levies they were to pay on the assets, and urged that detailed and accurate information be provided while applying for it.

He said a LA was granted to the beneficiaries after they apply to a court of law having competent jurisdiction, stressing that an LA entitled the administrator to all rights belonging to the intestate as effectively as if the administration had been granted at the moment after his death.

He, therefore, urged family members to stop arrogating the rights to distribute or share the estates of the deceased without an LA.

Mr. Francis Ameyibor, Tema Regional Manager, called for the intensification of advocacy on the tenets of the Intestate Succession Law and other relevant laws for the benefit of the public.

He also called for engagement with traditional leaders, family heads, and religious leaders on the tenets of the Intestate Succession Law.

Source: GNA

Editorial: Signs on the wall over the Anti-Gay Bill

By
THE CHRONICLE
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Editorial

In May, this year, when the people of Uganda boldly enacted the Anti-Homosexuality Act, The White House issued a strongly-worded statement in which the United States government hinted about measures to be taken against Uganda.

President Joe Biden indicated in the statement that he had directed his National Security Council to evaluate the implications of Uganda’s anti-gay law on all aspects of U.S. engagement with the country, including the ability to safely deliver services under the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which Ghana is a beneficiary of, and other forms of assistance and investments.

The statement further said the Biden administration will also incorporate the impacts of the law into its review of Uganda’s eligibility for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Ghana, again, benefits from the AGOA with a 10-year plan (2015–2025).

“And we are considering additional steps, including the application of sanctions and restrictions of entry into the United States against anyone involved in serious human rights abuses or corruption,” Joe Biden threatened.

The statement argued that the US shares a deep commitment and partnership with the people of Uganda, as it has worked with them for more than 60 years to help millions of Ugandans live healthier and more productive lives.

Underneath this supposed help are the unmeasurable benefits that the US also derives from Uganda, directly or indirectly, but the statement shied away from mentioning even one, unless they are only interested in wasting their taxpayers’ money for no returns.

In opening the statement, Joe Bident described the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Act as a violation of universal rights—one that is not worthy of the Ugandan people. He claimed that the act jeopardizes the prospects of critical economic growth for the country and called for its immediate repeal.

It is quite interesting that the U.S. would seek to blackmail Africans with their aids to kowtow to their whims and caprices. What happened to the general principle of the sovereignty of every independent nation?

While Ghana is also in the process of passing a law to criminalise homosexuality, the statement tells us what is ahead of us. Instructively, the US Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer, is reported to have warned that the passage could affect trade and investment in the country.

The Chronicle is shocked that the western world wants to push their cultures down the throats of African countries on the basis of the assistance they offer us, albeit without compensating the continent for the trauma and losses due to the slave trade.

Her position unfortunately echoes The White House statement on Uganda, giving a signal that Ghana may suffer all the harsh sanctions that Joe Biden is planning against Uganda for passing the law.

It is for this reason, as well as the cultural values the people of Ghana cherish, that we commend religious leaders for condemning the US ambassador’s statement and saying that they will resist any imposition of homosexuality.

We agree with the Anglican Bishop of Accra, Right Reverand Dr. Daniel Sylvanus Mensah Torto, in saying that the remarks by the ambassador were “a threat to the country. It is like they are forcing their culture on us,” he told the Ghanaian Times.

According to the same Ghanaian Times report, the Moderator of the Global Evangelical Church, Right Reverand Prosper Samuel Dzomeku, indicated that Ghana values friendship and cooperation with western nations, but Ghana’s commitment to its faith and national identity is “unwavering. We firmly believe that these principles contribute to the stability and strength of our nation.”

For us, every African should commend the bold decision taken by Uganda, and other governments should follow suit to call the bluff of the super powers in this regard.

Who knows, should the western world cease offering support to countries that legislate against homosexuality, it may well compel those African countries to be more responsible and self-reliant.

It should not be lost on us that when COVID-19 struck, Ghana, for instance, challenged itself to produce its own face masks and hand sanitizers among others, and has set off to produce vaccines locally.

These threats should embolden governments on the continent to unite and devise means of making the bloc a safe haven for its people, for the west knows too well that their survival depends on the resources of Africa.

The Chronicle holds the position that once the US will not accept polygamy because it is against their culture, they should allow Africa to breathe with their pro homosexuality.

People supporting BECE candidates must be commended

By
STEPHANIE BIRIKORANG
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BECE candidates

Over 600,000 candidates from various schools in the country, on Monday, August 8, 2023, have started a week-long Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

The exam, popularly known as BECE, is conducted nationwide by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for final-year public and private Junior High School students each year.

As schools and parents take time to take candidates through adequate preparations towards the examination each year, the candidates on the other hand utilise all the help coming their way for the task ahead.

Over the past years, helping candidates to effectively prepare towards the BECE has moved from being a parent, school concern, to a national concern, where leaders in the various societies are seen donating learning materials and organising training to candidates ahead of time, to help equip them enough for the exam.

A few of such people is the Registrar of the Scholarship Secretariat of Ghana, Mr. Kingsley Agyemang, the Founder of the Kingsley Quiz, comprising the Kingsley Spelling Challenge and the Kingsley Science and Math Quiz in the Abuakwa South Municipality, Kumasi.

The Municipal Director of Education for Abuakwa South, Mrs. Comfort Ofori Appiah, has disclosed that, the performance of candidates in the BECE had improved over the past two years in the Municipality as a result of the introduction of the Kingsley Science and Math Quiz.

She made this observation last week, at the Auditorium of Kibi Presbyterian College of Education during the finals of the Kingsley Quiz, and, according to her, statistics available showed that, schools within the Municipality, after taking part in the Quiz, had recorded a momentous improvement in the BECE results, and was hopeful that the previous results would be improved upon with single digits in the Municipality.

Additionally, Mr. Kingsley Agyemang launched the “BECE 2023 Project,” where all 896 candidates in his Municipality were transported daily to their various examination centers throughout the examination period, at no cost. The project also seeks to provide free food for all 1, 800 candidates daily.

The Assembly Member for Krofrom East Municipality, Mr. Patrick Kwame Frimpong, also donated Mathematical sets to all final year BECE candidates, sanitary pads to female students, and 150 dual desks to the New Tafo M/A Basic and Junior High schools (JHS) and Adabyia Islamic Basic School, which received 50 dual desks.

New Tafo M/A Division Basic School got 70, while Division JHS received 30.

It is very gratifying, knowing that, while the government through the Ministry of Education has taken it upon itself to improve infrastructure and the entire educational system across the country, there are the likes of Mr. Kingsley Agyemang, Mr. Patrick Kwame Frimpong and the team from Aboso Gold Fields Limited (AGL), doing their best to complement these efforts, by contributing their quota to help build on the educational system in the country.

Even though the government is doing its best, I still believe there is more it can do, to strengthen the educational system in the country, especially in deprived communities.

I equally commends every individual and organisation that is going out of their way to help promote and enhance human capital through education and skills development, by way of building the country as a whole.

A gesture such as these, I strongly believe, will inspire and encourage the candidates to have confidence in writing their BECE examination, and come out with flying colors, moving them a step further towards their future aspirations, to become responsible adults in the society, for the benefit of the country at large.

I therefore call on all well-meaning individuals, churches, imams, corporate organisations and stakeholders to not only emulate these kind gestures, but to also extend it to other sectors such a healthcare, agriculture, construction etc.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect The Chronicle’s stance.

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