Posts in category: Other News

The mortal remains of the late former President Jerry John Rawlings will be laid to rest today [Wednesday, January 27, 2021] at the Military Cemetery, in Accra.

This will be preceded by a state burial service at the Black Star Square, climaxing a four-day elaborate state funeral.

The burial service will be attended by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Vice President Alhaji Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and some heads of states in the sub-region.

Despite COVID-19 restrictions, the burial service is expected to attract hundreds of Ghanaians from across the country, with calls on many to follow the event on television or online.

Ghana received the news of the sudden death of ex-President Jerry John Rawlings with disbelief and sorrow on Thursday, November 12, 2021, after a short illness.

The Founder of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was the first president of the Fourth Republic, ruling from January 1993 to January 2001, having served the maximum two terms.

Before then, he was the Head of State from December 1981 to December 1992, coming to power through a military coup.

Born 22 June 1947, in Accra, Gold Coast, the former air force officer and politician first appeared on the Ghanaian political scene on 15 May, 1979 when he led a group of junior officers in the Ghana Air Force in an unsuccessful coup d’état that resulted in his arrest and imprisonment.

He was court-martialled in public and sentenced to death. Due to his display of patriotism in his defense speeches, he was widely seen across the country as a true son of Ghana, and was nicknamed Junior Jesus for his initials “JJ”.

Before he could be executed, another group of junior officers within the Ghana Army led by Major Boakye-Djan, overthrew the then military government of Lieutenant General Fred Akuffo in a bloody coup on June 4, 1979. Major Boakye-Djan and his men also set Rawlings free from prison, and installed him as head of the new government – the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC).

At the time of the coup, Ghana was already far into the process of returning to civilian rule and general elections were already scheduled. Hence, the AFRC went ahead to conduct an election and handed over power to Dr. Hilla Limann who won the popular vote in the election to establish the Third Republic.

Less than two years later, Dr. Limann’s civilian and constitutional government was overthrown again by Jerry Rawlings on 31 December, 1981.

He then installed the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) regime. In all Jerry Rawlings performed three coups d’état in Ghana, two of which were successful.

Rawlings was married to Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings and had four adult children: three females and a male. He was the joint recipient of the 1993 World Hunger Award.

Appointment As AU High Representative For Somalia

On 8 October 2010, the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Jean Ping, appointed Rawlings, as the AU High Representative for Somalia.

“A great tree has fallen, and Ghana is poorer for this loss…May his soul rest in perfect peace in the bosom of the Almighty until the Last Day of the Resurrection when we shall meet again,” said President Akufo-Addo.

Rawlings was 73.

Source: GNA

The Ghana Heath Service (GHS) has intensified community surveillance to ascertain whether the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) variant is spreading within communities.

This has become necessary because the service believes the new variant, which has been detected among international travellers, could be the reason a high number of people exposed to the virus are falling sick.

Addressing the media at the Minister’s Briefing, a national platform for providing updates on the national COVID-19 situation and response in Accra on Monday, the Director-General of the GHS, Dr Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, said the service was also closely monitoring to pick any mutation of the virus to enhance national response.

“Although we have not detected the new UK and South African COVID-19 variant in the communities, its detection at the airport among international travellers and the change in pattern of the disease spread and severity suggest there is a new variant in the country and the chances are that we may have it and it could be responsible for the changing dynamics of the disease,” he said.

Safety protocols

Dr Kuma-Aboagye asked the public to adhere strictly to the safety protocols because, unlike previously, high numbers of people exposed to the virus were falling sick with high severity, while cases were going up at an alarming rate.

He said during the last two surge incidences in the previous year, 21 per cent of recorded cases were falling sick, with majority being asymptomatic, but currently the situation was different, with 32 per cent falling sick.

He mentioned other reasons for the alarming rise to include a rise in social activities and the disregard for the safety protocols, particularly during the Yuletide.

“Poor linkage to care of cases from walk-in labs is another cause of the current surge,” he said.

National update

Dr Kuma-Aboagye said there had been a sudden increase in active cases from about 800 to over 3,000 over the past three weeks, with the majority of cases coming from the Greater Accra Region.

He said as of January 22, 2021, a total of 62,135 cases had been detected, out of the 745,095 tests conducted.

Out of the number, 58,150 had been discharged and recovered, while 372 people had died due to co-morbidities.

Response

He disclosed that the GHS, in collaboration with the government, was enhancing all national response, such as contact tracing, testing, treatment and the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE).

He reiterated the fact that all schools had been mapped to health facilities.

The director-general said the GHS was also intensifying public education and had scheduled sensitisation sessions with key stakeholders, such as market women, commercial driver unions and cooperatives.

“To decrease community spread, all who test positive will be put into isolation or treatment centres to help break the chain of community spread. The Pentecost Convention Centre, which was previously used and handed back to the church when cases began to decline, will become operational from February 1, 2021,” he said.

He said all contacts or cases would have to mandatorily self-quarantine for 14 days and monitored.

Shared responsibility

Dr Kuma-Aboagye reiterated the fact that beating the pandemic was a shared responsibility and, therefore, called on all to take their safety into their own hands by adhering strictly to the preventive protocols.

He reminded the public of their mandatory and civic obligation to always be in face masks before stepping out of home.

“We must continue to adhere to hand and respiratory hygiene. Always cough into a face mask, flexed elbow or a tissue and dispose of it immediately into a closed bin and wash or sanitise your hands immediately. We must observe this between one and two metres social distancing protocols at all times,” he said.

He said the GHS was also focusing on the promotion of decongestion at workplaces because there had been a number of workplace outbreaks.

“We encourage virtual meetings and working from home policies,” he said.

Restrictions

The minister-designate for Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, indicated that if the current alarming rise in COVID-19 cases did not change, the government might be forced to impose more restrictions to curb the spread.

He said the rise had largely been attributed to people losing their guard on adherence to the safety protocols.

He advised the citizenry to strictly adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines to avert the likelihood of the government bringing back some sanctions.

“There is a possibility of a lockdown and other restrictions. If this trend continues, then, yes, that is where we are heading. I have to be very clear on that one: that more restrictions could be introduced if this trend continues.

“We are being reminded that we all need to do the things we were doing in the beginning to ensure that this third rise is quickly dealt with because the dynamics of this third rise appear to be different from those of the first one.

“So, if these numbers go up this way, then, just as the President himself articulated, we are heading for more restrictions, even if it means reviewing some legal instruments,” Mr Nkrumah said.

Source: Graphic.com.gh

The Electoral Commission (EC) has said it will conduct elections to elect regional representatives to the Council of State on February 12, this year.

The scheduled election is in accordance with Paragraph (C) of Clause (2) of Article 89 of the 1992 Constitution.

A statement issued by the EC yesterday said all qualified persons who intended to stand for the elections must submit their nomination forms, with two postcard size copies of recent photographs (bust), to the EC Regional Director in their respective regions.

Nomination forms

The submission of completed nomination forms must be done at the regional offices of the EC between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. from Monday, February 1 to Thursday, February 4, this year.

The nominees must be proposed and seconded by two registered voters and supported by 20 registered voters from the respective regions.

“Every nomination must be proposed and seconded by two (2) registered voters and supported by 20 registered voters in the region,” the statement said.

It added that the consent of the candidate must also be endorsed thereon.

“Copies of the nomination forms may be downloaded free of charge from the EC’s website (www.ec.gov,gh) and completed in triplicate,” it said.

The EC has, however, not indicated the venues for the elections.

Expanded membership

A source close to the EC confirmed to the Daily Graphic that with the regions now increased to 16, it meant automatically that 16 people would be elected to the new Council of State to be formed.

“In 2017, there were only 10 regions and so we held elections to choose 10 regional representatives. However, now that we have 16 regions, it stands to say that there will be elections in all 16 regions,” it explained.

The source, however, would not say if that would affect the number of people nominated by the President or membership would be expanded to include six more people to represent the six regions that had been created.

Council of State

The establishment of a Council of State in Ghana is a constitutional requirement brought into being by articles 89 to 92 of the 1992 Constitution, which says: “There shall be a Council of State to counsel the President in the performance of his functions”.

The Council of State that served during President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s first term was made up of 25 people and chaired by the Paramount Chief of the Asante-Juaben Traditional Area, Nana Otuo Siriboe II.

The term of office of members of the council is in agreement with the term of office of the President.

Membership

Membership of the council includes prominent citizens who are elected to represent each region, as well as those nominated by the President to advise him on national issues.

Each region elects a representative, while the President also appoints 11 members.

The ex-officio members are a former Chief Justice of Ghana, a former Chief of the Defence Staff, a former Inspector General of Police and the President of the National House of Chiefs.

Source: Graphic.com.gh

The Supreme Court has set out five issues for determination in the 2020 presidential election petition filed by the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr John Dramani Mahama.

A determination of the five issues by the court will enable the court come to a conclusion as to whether or not the petition has any merit.

The Apex court has also set timelines and mode of trial for it to hear the petition.

The five issues include:

• whether or not the petition discloses any cause of action – that is if there is any legal grounds for the petition,
• whether or not the second respondent [Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo] met the Article 63 (3) threshold of the 1992 Constitution – this constitutional provision states that a presidential candidate must obtain more than 50 per cent of the total valid votes cast to be declared as President-elect,
• whether or not the 2nd respondent [Nana Akufo-Addo] still met the Article 63(3) of the 1992 threshold by the exclusion or inclusion of the Techiman South constituency presidential election results.

Other issues are:

• whether or not the declaration by the first respondent (EC) on December 9 of the presidential election conducted on December 7 was in violation of Article 63(3) of the 1992 Constitution,
• whether or not the alleged vote padding and other errors complained of by the petitioner affected the outcome of the presidential election results of 2020.

Meanwhile, the return date for the review filed by lead counsel for the petitioner is January 28, 2020.

Timelines

The timelines outlined and enumerated by the panel are as follows;

1. The petitioner and witness shall file witnesses statements with exhibits if any by the noon of Thursday, January 21, 2020.
2. The witness statement shall be served on the counsel the for the respondent by the close of Thursday January 21.
3. The respondents and the witnesses if any shall file their witness statement with exhibits if any by the close of the day on Friday, January 22, 2020
4. a. The first and second respondents shall file submissions on the preliminary objections raised to the petition by 12 noon of January 22.

    b. The registrar shall ensure service of submission by close of Friday, January 22.

    c. The petitioner shall file any response to the submission of the preliminary objection by Monday, Jan 25.

    d. The registrar shall ensure service of the petitioner’s response by close of Monday, January 25

    e. Ruling on the preliminary objection will be incorporated in the final judgement of the court.

Response

Meanwhile, Counsel for the petitioner, Mr Tsikata, who was not in agreement with the timelines argued that the timelines could have consequences on the review motion for review of the court’s ruling on the application for interrogatories among other outstanding issues.

However, Justice Professor Nii Ashie Kotey said the court was operating under strict timelines of C.I. 99.

In his response, Mr Tsikata said “justice must not be sacrificed for expedition.”

Hearing continues on Tuesday, January 26.

Source: Graphic.com.gh

The Accra Regional Police Command on Tuesday, January 19, arrested 97 people for alleged non-compliance with the mandatory wearing of face masks.

The arrested people comprised 60 males and 37 females whom the police said had failed to wear face masks while going about their businesses in public places in Accra’s central business district.

Operation

The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Accra Regional Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mrs Effia Tenge, who briefed the Daily Graphic, said the suspects were apprehended in a special operation aimed at enforcing the wearing of face masks, as directed by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

She said the operation, which lasted four hours and was dubbed: ‘Operation wear your mask’, was carried out in the Tudu, CMB, Farisco and Railways areas and their environs.

She said those arrested would be processed for court.

Sanctions

The wearing of face masks is a mandatory safety protocol aimed at preventing the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Addressing Ghanaians in the wake of a sharp rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country, President Akufo-Addo made the wearing of face masks mandatory.

By way of Executive Instrument 164 (E.I. 164), the police were asked to lead in enforcing it.

People who fail to wear face masks in public risk a prison sentence of four to 10 years or a fine ranging between GH¢12,000 and GH¢60,000, or both.

Background

In his 22^nd broadcast to the nation on Ghana’s Enhanced Response to the COVID-19 pandemic last Sunday, President Akufo-Addo said: “I have instructed the Inspector General of Police to direct officers, men and women of the service to ensure the rigorous enforcement of the law on mask wearing at all public places and in public transport.

“They are also to ensure the closure of all night clubs, pubs, cinemas and beaches that may be operating in defiance of the law. They will be assisted by the other security agencies, if need be.”

He warned that anyone found disregarding the directive and arrested by the police would be dealt with strictly and in accordance with the law.

Source: Graphic.com.gh.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has come out with the guidelines for the reopening of schools.

Dubbed: “Guidelines for School Reopening During COVID-19,” the guidelines are part of the measures put in place by the government to ensure that all educational institutions are safe for teaching and learning.

With the guidelines, which have been circulated across the country on various social media platforms, the GES seeks to promote the observance of all the protocols of the COVID-19 to make schools safe for learners, staff, and educational workers.

“I want to assure all stakeholders, including parents and guardians, of our preparedness to support the provision of good quality education for all our learners, even in these times of the COVID-19.

“Our goal, in these times, is to provide quality education within a healthy and safe environment. At the same time, we will continue to build a more resilient educational system that will ensure continuous learning for our learners, even during emergencies,” the Director-General of the GES, Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, said in the guidelines.

Purpose

The guidelines said Ghana’s determination to beat the virus was guided by science and the evidence available.

“As we prepare to reopen our schools to allow learners to continue with their academic work, it is important that we establish broad guidelines for the safe operation of our schools,” it added.

“These guidelines are to help regional and district directors of education, as well as heads of schools, to operate safely in the country. It is important to note that the broad guidelines outlined in this document are a general guide and must be adapted, where necessary, to meet the peculiar situation of each region, district or school, in accordance with the protocols and directives for the reopening of schools,” it said.

It also sought to provide clear and concrete steps for safe operations through the prevention, early detection and control of the COVID-19 in schools and other educational facilities.

It said if done well, maintaining safe school operations during the reopening period and beyond could promote public health.

Fundamental principles

The goal of the GES, it said, was to ensure that learners, teaching and non-teaching staff were safe in school.

To help stop the spread of the disease, it cautioned learners, teachers and other staff who were sick or felt sick to stay at home and not go to school.

It charged schools to enforce regular hand-washing with soap under running water, use alcohol-based hand sanitiser and regularly disinfect and clean school surfaces such as door handles, tables and chairs.

Moreover, it said schools should enforce the wearing of face masks at all times, promote social distancing during school gatherings (assembly and worship sessions) and dining sessions.

The document said all schools were expected to be disinfected prior to the arrival of learners and staff, and that educational directorates were to ensure that their facilities were disinfected.

Facilities

It said schools would be provided with hand-washing facilities and hand sanitiser, and that school heads were to liaise with district and regional directors for their facilities.

“Learners and staff will be provided with re-usable face masks which must be worn at all times to, in and from school. Learners with hearing impairment and staff will be provided with age-appropriate face shields to be worn at all times and supported by staff for safe-keeping and cleaning,” it said.

Besides, house mothers, caregivers and teachers must regularly inspect the face shields, while gloves would be supplied to caregivers/house mothers/attendants for schools for learners with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs), it said.

Class size

On class size for basic and senior high schools, the document said district directors and heads of schools should use their discretion to address peculiar situations in their districts and schools.

“Lesson periods and breaks shall be as stipulated by the GES and subject to the approved COVID-19 safety protocols.

“Visits to washrooms (that is, toilets and urinals) should be regulated to promote social distancing and safety. Parents are encouraged to provide their children with food (e.g. snacks) when going to school to minimise the movement of learners for food within and outside of the school premises,” it said.

For kindergarten children, it said heads of schools must ensure regular disinfection of furniture and other teaching/learning resources, as well as the regular washing of hands with soap under running water.

Source: Graphic.com.gh

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has directed all Metropolitan, Municipal and Districts Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to remain at post until further notice.

A communique signed by the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Opare, said the directive was in accordance with Article 243 (3) of the 1992 Constitution.

The communique further warned the MMDCEs against taking any policy-related decisions.

“I am directed by H. E. the President to inform all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) who were at post immediately before the inauguration ceremony on Thursday, 7^th January 2021 to remain at post until further notice,” the communique read.

“This directive is in accordance with Article 243 (3) of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana.

“You are to take note of the provision of section 14 (5) of the Presidential (Transition) Act (2012) which states that you shall not take a decision involving a policy issue.” Also, you are to act in accordance with letter No. SCR/DA555/555/01 dated 21st December, 2020 which gives directives on financial commitments, recruitments among others,” it added.

Source: Graphic.com.gh

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Bosomtwe, Hon. Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has expressed great joy after he bid farewell to some thirty (30) students from his constituency who are the first batch of students to benefit from his vision to educate 100 engineers in the next ten years.

The MP expressed his excitement in a post he made on his official Facebook page describing it as “my vision of ensuring that Bosomtwe gets 100 engineers within the next ten years is on course.”

All thirty (30) students will be pursuing engineering courses at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) at Tarkwa.

The former Deputy Minister of Education explained how he has fully paid all fees of the students including their accommodation fees.

“Dr. Adutwum has paid for everything about their education for the time they’d be here and hopes to build 100 world-class engineers over 10 years with this project in Bosomtwi,” a journalist traveling with the MP shared on Facebook.

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was on Thursday [January 7, 2021] sworn into office to officially begin his second and final term as the President of the Republic of Ghana following his re-election last December.

Nana Akufo-Addo took the Presidential Oath and the Oath of Allegiance administered by the Chief Justice, Mr Justice Kwasi Anin-Yeboah, in the Chamber of Parliament in Accra.

Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia also took the oath of office. He took the Oath of the Vice President and the Oath of Allegiance.

The President in his inaugural address, pledged to deliver on his mandate, and ensure that the tenets of social justice were met.

He also promised to unify the nation, and advance the peace and progress of the country, reverse the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and place the nation on the course for full economic recovery and development.

Source: GNA

The former Member of Parliament for Nadowli Kaleo, Alban Sumana Bagbin has been elected Speaker of Parliament of the Eighth Parliament of the Republic of Ghana. Bagbin has been in Parliament since the advent of the 4th Republic and has served virtually in all positions available in the House.

The Clerk to Parliament, Mr Cyril Nsiah declared Bagbin winner after a rancorous election process characterised by a ballots snatching incident, a military intervention over disputes in how voting should proceed, and near fisticuffs over sitting arrangements.

The National Democratic Congress nominated him for the post, while the New Patriotic Party nominated the immediate past Speaker, Prof. Aaron Mike Oquaye.

Source: Graphic.com.gh