Category: General

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, says President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s opposition to gay marriage is in no doubt.

‘The President has gone on record to say that he is opposed to gay marriage – it will never happen in his life,’ he emphasised.

Likewise, the Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and the Attorney-General held the same view, he added.

Mr Yeboah Dame, in an interview with an Accra-based radio station, Asaase Radio, monitored by the Ghana News Agency (GNA), on the Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, passed by the Parliament recently, said the opposition of many Ghanaians to gay marriage was firm.

‘…Of course, even my opinion, my formal opinion to Parliament was quite clear,’ he stressed.

Issues such as the prohibition of gay marriage, gay practices and gay couple adopting children have been extensively dealt with in the society.

According to the Attorney-General, the respect or opposition to the practice of gay, lesbianism and all, must
be distinguished from the constitutional validity of the Bill.

‘It is one thing saying that you are opposed to the practice of gay, which, of course, most people are in this country.

‘In my view as the Attorney-General, assessing the constitutional validity of this Bill, I look at it purely from a legal lens, and that process must be distinguished from whether one is opposed to gay practice or not,’ he explained.

The Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill passed recently, with an overwhelming backing of Ghana’s two major political parties – the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) as well as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) – is yet to receive a Presidential assent.

It proposes a prison sentence of up to three years for anyone convicted of identifying as LGBTQ+, and imposing a maximum five-year jail term for forming or funding LGBTQ+ groups.

Generally, it seeks to punish those who take part in LGBTQ sexual acts, as well as those who wilfully promote, sponsor, or support LGBTQ+ activities.

C
ommonly referred to as the anti-gay bill, it received sponsorship from a coalition, comprising Christian, Muslim and Ghanaian traditional leaders.

Amnesty International has warned that the Bill poses significant threats to the fundamental rights and freedoms of LGBTQ+ people, urging the President to tread cautiously in the passage of the Bill into law.

Mr Yeboah Dame, on the Presidential assent to the Bill, said there was the need for the law to take its course given the current legal challenges pending before the court.

‘For now, there are constitutional challenges, so we have to let the Supreme Court have the opportunity of determining them.

‘At this stage, it is only the Supreme Court which can determine whether some aspects of the Bill complied with the law or not. So, we might just leave it to the Court to determine,’ the Attorney-General advised.

Some opposition Ghanaian lawmakers have criticised the President for what they described as his lukewarm attitude in assenting to the Bill, threatening to
make the course of the Government’s business in the Parliament House more difficult, if their expectations were not met.

Mr Yeboah Dame described the development as unfortunate, saying it was just unnecessary politicking.

‘I think that the unjustified tit-for-tat ought to stop. That is not the way to build a democracy.

That is not the way to build a country. And that is actually not the way to also construe our Constitution.

‘If we seek to construe our Constitution, it must be done in good faith. You do not construe it in a way to suit your purposes and say that you are trying to counter the action by the President in respect of a wholly unrelated process,’ the Attorney-General cautioned.

Meanwhile, President Nana Akufo-Addo has stated that his Administration would uphold the rule of law in the process of assenting to the Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, 2024.

Issues raised about the Bill and currently pending before the law court, would have to be dealt with before his Administratio
n could signify assenting or otherwise to the Bill, he noted.

A recent statement issued by the Office of the President, and copied to the Clerk to Parliament, the Majority Leader, among others, stated that, under the prevailing circumstances, it was appropriate ‘to cease and desist from transmitting the Bill to the President until the matters before the Supreme Court are resolved’.

‘This Office is aware of two pending applications for an order of interlocutory injunction, both filed on March 07, 2024, in the Supreme Court in Dr Amanda Odoi vrs The Speaker of Parliament and the Attorney-General, and Richard Sky vrs The Parliament of Ghana and The Attorney-General, respectively, to restrain you and Parliament from transmitting the Bill to the President, and, also, to restrain the President from signifying his assent to the Bill, pending the final determination of the matter.’

The statement said the Attorney-General had, by a letter dated March 18, 2024, informed the President that he had been duly served wit
h both applications.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr Joseph Anokye, the Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), says the proactive actions by the Authority is the reason Ghana did not experience complete internet outage during the undersea cable disruptions on March 14, 2024.

A number of countries along the West African Coast through to South Africa experienced widespread and massive internet outages when four submarine cables, which coincidentally were operational in Ghana, got disrupted underseas, leading to disruptions in data services.

During the outage, consumers on AT did not experience any disruptions whiles those on MTN and Telecel had minimum internet access.

All three mobile network operators (MNOs) in Ghana have since been restored to full internet capacity while the submarine cable providers are continuing repair works.

Addressing the media in Accra on Sunday on the disruptions, Dr Anokye said the NCA had been proactive since 2020 and had directed MNOs to establish and maintain physical cable connections to at least t
hree submarine cable providers for redundancy and resilience.

‘The NCA had directed MNOs to establish and maintain physical cable connections to at least three submarine cable providers for redundancy and resilience – this was back in April 2020, and all MNOs adhered to this,’ Dr Anokye said.

He explained that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Authority had a series of meetings with various stakeholders to find out what level of support they needed.

The proactive engagements and subsequent directives to MNOs contributed to Ghana not experiencing complete internet outage on 14th March 2024.

The NCA Boss said in one of those meetings, the NCA focused on risk assessment of mobile network operator’s capacities and their redundancies to Subsea Cable Landing Service Providers.

Subsequently, from a national emergency point of view, all MNOs were, in a letter dated 30th April 2020, directed to establish and maintain physical cable connections to at least three submarine cable companies.

‘Further to the above, a
ll redundant cable connections should be capable of being lighted within 24-hours in the event of outage on your primary links,’ he said.

‘It was based on this directive that AT secured a third leg of its cable provider in Nigeria, leading to they having service, with MTN also having another leg in Nigeria with some capacity that was relied on during the crisis.’

On the way forward, Dr Anokye said the Authority would require MNOs to make provisions for another leg of their cable to land with a cable provider who did not land in-country but was close by.

‘We are happy to note also that the NCA in 2023, licensed a fifth cable landing operator, Bayobab, operator of the 2Africa Cable with a design capacity of 180tbps, which is about four times the combined design capacity of the existing cables; this service is expected to be operational by 4th quarter of 2024 or sooner,’ he announced.

The 2Africa would be the only cable that circles the entire African continent – providing geographical diversity.

Additional
ly, from a distance layout standpoint, the 2Africa Cable is much farther away from the existing four cables in the high seas.

Dr Anokye disclosed that the NCA had augmented its existing satellite licensing portfolio to include recent broadband satellite services to provide alternative connectivity options for domestic and enterprise users.

‘We will work with regulators and the industry in the sub-region to encourage the extension of inter-country terrestrial fibre to enhance resilience of its respective internet connectivity’.

The National Communications Authority (NCA) was established by an Act of Parliament, Act 524, in December 1996, which has been repealed and replaced by the National Communications Authority Act, 2008 (Act 769).

It is the statutory body mandated to license and regulate electronic communication activities and services in the country.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Several Landlords who said they owned landed properties in Mondoli, a neighborhood in Limbe 3 subdivision, South West region, have said their lives are in danger as some youths have persistently targetted them, questioning the ownership of their lands.

‘Chasing farmers with machetes, denied them access and selling their land claiming it’s a native land. They have recently formed a toll gate extorting money from farmers and seizing their produce,’ a victim who said he own a landed property in the area told CNA.

Land issues in the Fako division, South West region, had reached a stage where the Prime Ministry had to intervene. Still, news of land grabbing, illegal sales, and confiscation have continued to reach the media.

CNA learned that several litigation are ongoing in local courts because of such actions but those who innocently bought lands have had no concrete response from the local chief, the Divisional Officer, the Senior Divisional Officer, or the Governor.

They believe that the Chief who is the fi
rst person to contact for any deals in his area is working in complicity with the administration to defraud them of the lands they paid for.

‘We complained to the administration i.e from the D.O. of Limbe 3 to the S.D.O. and Governor and no action has been taken. The village Chief is involved in complicity with D.O,’ a victim said, adding that his land was also illegally seized by some youths who later sold it to someone, claiming it as ‘native land’. But in 2023, the Fakp SDO had warned that there is no land existing in his jurisdiction called ‘Native Land’

CNA has obtained documents showing complaints tabled before the Governor of the South West region and the SDO of Fako Division against some persons in Mondoli for harassment, destruction of crops, extortion, destruction of boundary marks, and illegal sales of land.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

Commodore Maxwell Arhin, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Eastern Naval Command, says the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) can leverage some of the Command’s sea exercises to promote global tourism in the country.

He said a similar collaboration yielded great results in 2019 during the year of return and could be revisited.

Commodore Arhin said this in an address to uniformed personnel and civilians selected to cross to the Equator (The centre of the earth) for the first time on Ghana Navy Ships (GNS) ANKOBRA and VOLTA, supported by US Navy ship (USS) Hershel Woody Williams during Exercise Sea Lion 2024.

Commodore Maxwell Arhin, Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command

He said Ghana was the closest country to the centre of the world and that the Ghana Navy considered the location a strategic area.

‘In 2019, the Ghana Navy collaborated with the Ghana Tourism Authority, and it was a huge success,’ the Flag Officer Commanding said.

He also commended the Western and Eastern Naval Commands for their unw
avering commitment and dedication and the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) for roles played in making the 2024 version of the exercise a success.

Lieutenant General Thomas Oppong-Pepprah, Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), in an address, said military exercises such as the Sea Lion would build capacities of the Ghana Armed Forces after flagging off the troops to set participating ships on sail.

‘The joint nature of the Exercise will help build interoperability for future operations. Contemporary security threats such as piracy and terrorism in the west African subregion require a capable and robust personnel, well trained and equipped to deal with them,’ he said.

The 2024 version of Exercise Sea lion had two of Ghana Navy’s River-class ships, GNS ANKOBRA and GNS VOLTA and made a voyage to the equator (also known as Crossing-the-line), beginning on the evening of Tuesday 19, March at the Eastern Naval Base at Tema.

GNS ANKOBRA and VOLTA had a total of 43 and 42 persons onboard respectively.

They included Naval O
fficers and ratings, other uniformed personnel from the Army, ex-ratings and civilians, including journalists.

As an ancient naval tradition, dating back to the 1520s, all novice sailors, both personnel and civilians, who successfully crossed the equator on Thursday morning, underwent a ceremony of baptism amongst other interesting rites to confirm them as seamen.

The rites were performed by the captains of the two ships, who assumed the role of King Neptune – the ancient Roman sea deity.

On the morning of Friday 22, March, the two ships returned with all onboard to the Western Naval base at Sekondi where the exercise was climaxed with a joint military operation by the Ghana Navy Special Boat Squadron, the Army Special Operations Brigade, and the Ghana Air Force Fighter Squadron.

The last Exercise Sea Lion was held in 2020 in October under the leadership of Vice Admiral Seth Amoama (Rtd) with GNS YAA ASANTEWAA, GNS GARINGA, GNS EHWOR and GNS BLIKA.

It had a team of 229 personnel, including seven females,
and the former CNS.

Source: Ghana News Agency

By Charity Nginyu

In a recent statement issued by His Royal Majesty Fon Ngum IV, concerns over the abuse and misuse of traditional titles have been raised within the Oku community.

Addressing the public via his official Facebook handle, the Fon expressed grave concern over the sudden surge of individuals proclaiming themselves as title holders without proper authorization.

‘It has come to notice that several persons have suddenly proclaimed themselves as title holders ranging from appellations such as Shey, Ebchuo Shey, Yaah, Ebchuofai, Bantock, Tantoh just to name a few of such abusive use of titles,’ the Fon stated.

Highlighting the significance of traditional titles within Oku society, the Fon emphasized that titles are bestowed singularly by the Kwifon and the Fon of Oku, and no individual has the authority to self-proclaim or upgrade existing titles.

Furthermore, the Fon highlighted the importance of upholding noble character and behavior among title holders, stating, ‘Title holders are supposed to
be noble in their characters and actions, including behavior. This is what sets the premise for norms and standards within the context of the Oku Society and this must be respected.’

In light of these concerns, His Royal Majesty Fon Ngum IV issued the following directives:

The practice of self-proclamation of titles should cease immediately; All current traditional title holders should adhere to the original title nomenclature as proclaimed by the Kwifon or the Fon and display exemplary lifestyles to sustain the dignity of Oku culture and tradition.

The Traditional Institutions will take drastic measures should the abuse, misuse, and self-proclamation of titles continue to trend.

The Fon concluded by reaffirming the importance of wisdom and stewardship among titleholders, stating, ‘They are supposed to listen more and speak less. This is the foundation of wisdom and our customs put a lot of emphasis on this.’

Source: Cameroon News Agency

The Cassona Global Imaging Limited, Ghana, a company that specialises in the supply of medical imaging equipment, has donated to the National Mosque in support of the Ramadan festivities.

The Organisation also provided assistance to the National Mosque Clinic for Women and Children project, a news brief shared with the Ghana News Agency said.

The Cassona team presented T-shirts, water, assorted beverages and an unspecified amount of money to the Muslim community to help them deliver their physical and spiritual demands during the festive period.

Mr Liam Smith, Engineer, Cassona Global Imaging, said the purpose of the donation was to encourage the Muslim community to go through a successful fasting period.

‘We wish them the best this Ramadan period and encourage everyone to remain healthy. Cassona remains committed to providing healthcare solutions and we are dedicated to making the sub-Saharan Africa starting from Ghana self-sufficient when it comes to diagnostic imaging equipment,’ he said.

Mrs Gladys T
etteh, Sales Lead for Cassona in Accra, said the organisation was excited about the women and children clinic project and assured that Cassona would provide further support to make the project a reality.

Alhaji Jabir Kango, the Deputy Administrator of the National Mosque, expressed profound gratitude to the Cassona team for the gesture and assured that the items would be distributed to neighbouring communities.

‘We are grateful for the kind gesture by Casosna Global Imaging. Ramadan is a month of giving generosity, and alms giving. So if Cassona has decided to reach out to our people then we are grateful,’ he said.

Alhaji Kango appealed to the public to support the women and children clinic project to deliver specialised healthcare for women and children in surrounding communities.

Source: Ghana News Agency