Category: General

Former President John Dramani Mahama has called for unity among the NDC members nationwide for victory in 2024 general election.

Without unity, he said they would not be able to win both Presidential and Parliamentary elections in 2024.

Former President John Dramani Mahama made the call when he addressed 1,366 delegates drawn from 147 branches of Yendi Constituency of Northern Region as part of his campaign tour to Northern Region to be elected as the Presidential candidate of the Party.

On 13th May, 2023, they will be voting to elect the flagbearer for the party and parliamentary candidates for the party within the 275 constituencies.

He called on the losers among the three contestants in the Yendi constituency to rally behind the winner after the polls.

The contestants are Alhassan Abdul Fatawu, Private Legal Practitioner, Mr. Yakubu Alhassan Sitobu, Accountant with Yendi Ministry of Agric and Alhaji Hamza Yahaya Alikali a private man.

‘Among the three candidates only one will be elected on 13th May, 2023, and so the losers must rally behind him and support him to win the Yendi Constituency seat for the party’.

He called on the executives to carry out door to door campaigns to educate the public to vote for NDC and also to educate them on how to thumbprint on the ballot paper, so that they will not spoil the ballots.

He also met the delegates of Tatale/Sanguli, Zabzugu, Saboba, Chereponi, Gushegu, Karaga, Kpandai, Nanumba North, Nanumba South, and Mion Constituencies within Eastern Corridor.

The Northern Regional Chairman of the Party Mr. Adolf Ali said they needed an experience flag bearer to lead the party in the 2024 elections and would support John Dramani Mahama to win on May 13.

The Yendi Constituency Chairman, Alhaji Abubakari Shani promised that they would vote massively for him.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Angolan Ombudswoman Florbela Araújo is participating in the annual meeting of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) to take place from May 8-11, with the aim to discuss ways to strengthen the organisation.

According to a note issued by the institution that reached ANGOP Monday, the Angolan Ombudswoman, who is participating in the event as Director of the IOI for the African region, has been in the Austrian capital (Vienna) since Sunday to attend the meeting.

Upon her arrival in Vienna, Florbela Araújo met with her counterparts from Portugal, Zambia, Belgium and the IOI first Vice President, Diane Welborn, from the United States of America.

The meeting of the Governing Board will discuss, among other matters, the reports of the IOI President, Chris Field, issues related to applications for membership of new members.

It will also include the analysis of the cash flow statement and budget, regional grants for the period 2023/2024 and other reports on the recent training initiatives 2022/2023.

The meeting will address various issues related to the life of the organisation in the various sessions, including the Executive Committee, the UN Working Group, the Statutory Reform Committee and aspects to be discussed by the managements of the IOI Board of Directors.

It includes analyses on the revision of the IOI’s official languages and documents on good practices in the regions, and the status of permanent observer at the United Nations General Assembly.

The International Ombudsman Institute is the largest international organisation of Ombudsmen in the world.

It is divided into 6 (six) regions, namely: Africa, Asia, North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe and Australia and the Pacific.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, left London, United Kingdom Sunday, on his way back to Luanda, after having participated in the official coronation ceremony of King Charles III.

In London, where he was accompanied by the First Lady, Ana Dias Lourenço, the Head of State was part of the two thousand foreign dignitaries and other guests of the British Government.

The two-hour ceremony, which took place at Westminster Abbey, in London, was also attended by several Heads of State or their representatives, members of international organisations, the Commonwealth and the British Government.

Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)

An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a 60-year-old security man to 24 years imprisonment for having sex with a six year old girl.

Osman Monnie charged with defilement, pleaded guilty.

The court presided over by Mrs Christina Cann, convicted Monnie on his own plea.

Prosecution led by Superintendent of Police Agnes Boafo prayed the court to hand down the maximum sentence as the victim in the case could be the accused person’s granddaughter.

Supt. Boafo noted that despite the screaming and weeping of the victim, Monnie went ahead to defile the victim.

She therefore prayed the court to give the accused person a severe and deterrent sentence

The accused person who is married with three children could not tell the court why he chose to defile the minor.

The case as narrated by the Prosecution is that the complainant is a cleaner residing at North Kaneshie, Industrial Area with the victim.

It said the accused now convict, resided at Kasoa with his wife and children but worked as a security guard at Industrial Area,Kaneshie on Accra.

Prosecution said Monnie was to close to where the complainant resided and he used to play with the victim for about a year now.

On March 17, this year, Monnie had sexual intercourse with the victim and an anonymous person vidoed the sexual act between the victim and the convict.

Prosecution said on March 20, 2023, at about 1:00pm, the complainant saw the video which Monnie was having sex with the victim.

It said the complainant interviewed the victim and she narrated how Monnie had sex with her.

Prosecution said the victim indicated to the complainant that, that was not the first time Monnie had defiled her.

It said the complainant reported the matter to Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of the Ghana Police Service at Kaneshie and a police medical report form was issued to the complainant to seek medical care for the victim.

The Prosecution said when the medical form was returned to the Police, it confirmed that the victim had been defiled.

It said Monnie was quickly picked up by the Police.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Some residents in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region have complained about alleged harassment by some Togolese border security personnel.

The residents say the security personnel have in recent times deployed measures that make it difficult to freely cross into Lome, the capital of neighboring Togo.

The residents told the Ghana News Agency, at Aflao, that they were very frustrated by development.

‘Togolese border security officers are making life difficult for the people living in the border community, and more especially, the businessmen and women, who use that entry point for their activities daily,’ one of the residents complained.

Ms Cynthia Henyo, a resident and trader, said: ‘These people are not treating us well at all – we used to cross the border each day without any problems, but nowadays they are not cooperating at all.

‘I mean the Togolese side – sometimes you are asked to pay something small and are allowed to cross, but in the last couple of days, you cannot cross at all.

‘This situation is taking a toll on those of us who rely on trading at ‘Asigame’ (the Lome- Big Market) to make ends meet – it is not just those of us living in Aflao and surrounding communities, other people from Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi are all stranded here unable to cross.’

She appealed to the authorities to intervene in finding a solution to the development.

‘As you can see for yourself, everyone seems to be stranded. Nobody is going any further, especially, we, the Ghanaians. The Togolese and other nationals are allowed to cross except Ghanaians and we cannot just understand – our big men must quickly do something about this,’ Ms Henyo said.

Mr Joshua Norsah, a security analyst the GNA spoke to, decried the development, and described it as’ ‘worrying’.

‘What is happening at the border now has nothing to do with the Ghana Immigration Service, but with the Togolese police at the border, who are preventing the free passage of people, especially our Ghanaian brothers and sisters,’ he said.

Mr Norsah added that: ‘The deprivation and repressions at that side of the border, sometimes makes you wonder, what they are looking for – because they do it more than necessary.’

He observed that the Togolese security at the Aflao border no longer recognised Ghanaians and their identify cards.

He questioned the importance of the ECOWAS Treaty legitimising the Free Movement of Persons, Goods and Services across the common borders within ECOWAS member states.

‘How can you pay 2000 CFA, which is GHS 40, before you are allowed to cross the border – When you are returning, you pay the same, that is even when you have the Ghana Card,’ he wondered.

The GNA took walked along the border and saw many people, mostly Ghanaian traders and businesspeople, stranded.

Some were Accra, Takoradi and Kumasi, all expressing their frustration.

Meanwhile, Mr Maxwell Kofi Lugudor, the Municipal Chief Executive of Ketu South, and chairman of the Municipal Security Council (MUSEC), told the GNA that his attention had been drawn to the development and preliminary findings confirmed some of the concerns raised by the residents.

He said he was informed that the situation was not so until a couple of days ago.

It was attributed to an ongoing voter registration exercise in the neighbouring country, which was expected to end on Sunday, May 7.

Mr Lugudor appealed to the residents to remain calm as MUSEC was working to ensure that the issue was resolved amicably in the interest of the peace and security of both countries.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mohammed Ismail Sharrif, popularly known as Black Sherif, was adjudged Artiste of the Year at the 24th edition of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMAs).

It was a big night for Black Sherif, as he picked up the coveted award on the night, beating off competition from Stonebwoy, Sarkodie, Joe Mettle, King Promise, Camidoh, and Piesie Esther.

Black Sherif also picked the Most Popular Song of the Year with the global hit single ‘Kweku the Traveller,’ having also won the Best Hip-Hop Song with the same song.

He also won the Best Music Video of the Year with his ‘Konogo Zongo’ hit song.

After picking up the award, Black Sherif was elated with his new milestone and dedicated the award to his mother, father, family, and the people of Konogo Zongo, where he hails from.

He also announced the release of a new Extended Play (EP) scheduled for June 22, 2023.

Black Sherif was one of the top performers on the biggest night of Ghanaian music, dazzling the crowd with some energetic performances.

Source: Ghana News Agency