The queen mother of Abura Dunkwa in the Central Region, Nana Afariwa Nyarkoh III, has appeared before the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese District Security Committee (DISEC) to answer questions in relation to the gruesome murder of the chief linguist of the town, Okyeame Kojo Mensah and his wife.

This was after a seven-member committee set up by the chief and people of the town to investigate the death had accused her of masterminding the attack in their report.

The committee further petitioned DISEC, chaired by the District Chief Executive of the area, Madam Felicia Aba Hagan, to invite Obaahemaa Afariwa Nyarkoh III for questioning.

Appearing before the committee, Obaahemaa, who was installed two months ago, denied the allegation levelled against her and vowed to seek redress in court to redeem her tarnished image.

When DAILY GUIDE contacted Reverend Edwin Kojo Sekyi, an opinion leader and spokesperson for Obaahemaa Afariwa Nyarkoh, it came as a surprise to them when the queen mother, who had been in a cordial relationship with the slain linguist, was accused of masterminding the assassination.

He said on the day of the incident, Obaahemaa was away in Cape Coast seeking medical attention.

“Upon hearing the sad news, she came down the following morning to mourn with the family,” Rev. Sekyi said.

Reverend Sekyi said the chief and opinion leaders who wanted to expedite action to enable them bury the deceased persons, set up a committee to investigate the issue to find the person behind the killings.

“It was after their setting that they accused the Obaahemaa of masterminding the attack and therefore sent a petition to DISEC to invite her for questioning,” he disclosed.

He confirmed that the aggrieved queen mother is in consultations with her lawyers to seek redress in court.

Meanwhile, all affected parties have been asked by DISEC to cool down tempers and cooperate with the security agencies in their bid to unravel the mystery surrounding the murder.

The Abura Dunkwa town in the Central Region was thrown into a state of shock and mourning following the gruesome murder of the chief linguist, Okyeame Kojo Mensah and his wife.

Okyeame Kojo Mensah, 48 and Ohemaa Efuah, 42, who was also the queen mother of Ajumako Etumbir, were murdered by some unknown assailants on Sunday, September 2, 2018, in their room.

The family woke up that next morning to find the throats of their kinsmen slashed with a sharp object. They were found lying in a pool of blood in their room. The assailants left without taking anything away from the room.

(lindatenyah@gmail.com)

By Linda Tenyah-Ayettey

The post Queen Mother Summoned Over Linguist’s Murder appeared first on Daily Guide Africa.

Soldiers lifting Annan’s casket for the final journey after the funeral service yesterday

The mortal remains of the former United Nations (UN) Secretary General and son of Ghana, Busumuru Kofi Annan was finally laid to rest yesterday at the Burma Camp Military Cemetery.

At a solemn pre-burial service held at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), the world bid farewell to a man whose personality defied borders.

Present at the event were diplomats and dignitaries from across the globe who paid their last respects to the global icon whose commitment to peace around the world earned him the prestigious Noble Peace Award.

Dignitaries

Chief among them were President Akufo-Addo, his Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and their spouses, Rebecca and Samira, as well as top government officials.

Former Presidents Jerry John Rawlings, John Agyekum Kufuor and John Mahama, as well as Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, were all at the ceremony.

Also present were leaders across the world such as UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, Ivorian President, Alassane Quattara, Liberian President, George Weah, Namibian President, Dr Hage Geingob, President of Equatorial Guinea Obiang Nguema and President of Sierra Leone Julius Maada Bio.

The rest include President of Ethiopia Mulatu Teshome, Prime Minister of Niger Brigi Rafini, Angolan Vice President, Joao Manuel Goncalves, Zimbabwean President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, former Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Her Royal Highness, Princess Beatrix and Princess Mabel of the Netherlands.

Also at the event were former Nigerian leaders, Olusegun Obasanjo and General Abdul Salam Abubakar, former German President, Horst Kohler, former Finnish leader, Tarja Halonem, former Slovenian President, Dr Danilo Turk, former Gambian Vice President, Fatoumata Tambajang and former Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku.

The Speaker of Parliament, Prof Aaron Mike Oquaye, members of the diplomatic corps, traditional rulers, security chiefs, ministers, legislators and influential people from the ECOWAS sub-region attended the ceremony.

In the live telecast on all radio and television across the world, President Akufo-Addo paid glowing tribute to the memory of the departed global icon.

Tribute

President Akufo-Addo, in his tribute, said Mr Annan brought considerable renown to Ghana by his position and conduct and comportment in the global arena.

“Charming, cosmopolitan, consensus-builder, elegant, eloquent, gentle-mannered, modest, polyglot, proud African, peacemaker, quintessential diplomat-these words are still inadequate to capture the fullness of the personality of Kofi Annan, one of the truly iconic figures of modern times.

“Indeed the outpouring of tributes from the world over is an accurate measure of the man, a man who gave his life to making peace where there was conflict, to defending the voiceless who were powerless, to promoting virtue where there was evil.”

The President noted that despite the “unjustified attacks” on him, trying to blame him for the genocide in Rwanda and Srebrenica when he was head of UN Peace Operations, Mr Annan “never lost his moral compass, as he showed when he stood up to the might of the United States of America when she was embarking on her ill-fated intervention in Iraq.”

He said Mr Annan’s “epic but unavailing effort to establish a supremacy of international law over the actions of the world’s greatest power won him the admiration of all right-thinking persons,” adding, “History has vindicated him.”

“Undoubtedly, he excelled in the various undertakings of his life, leaving in his trails most pleasant memories. His was a life well lived.”

President Akufo-Addo said Mr Annan was an ardent believer in the capacity of the Ghanaian and African to chart their own course onto the path of progress and prosperity.

“He (Busumuru Atta Annan) found the vision of a ‘Ghana Beyond Aid,’ and indeed an ‘Africa Beyond Aid’ very appealing.

He recalled the “sensitive, deeply appreciated advice” Mr Annan gave him when he became President of Ghana in 2017, saying, “Ghana, Africa and the world have suffered greatly from his passing.”

The last time I saw Mr. Annan was in March 2018 when the former UN chief came to inform me, much to my discomfiture, that he could no longer continue to serve as Chancellor of Ghana’s premier university, the University of Ghana, Legon, since he had served the two terms permitted by the statutes of the university.”

“I bemoaned my ill-luck, even though, as life would have it, the university has found in Mary Chinery-Hesse, his old and trusted friend, a worthy successor,” the president said.

The incumbent UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, on his part, described Busumuru as an exceptional global leader, whose words were tough and wise.

“Kofi Annan was the United Nations and the United Nations was him,” Mr. Guterres said in his tribute.

Wife’s Tribute

The widow, Nane Maria Annan, thanked her late husband for all the wondrous moments they had together while he was alive.

According to her, Kofi Annan, who had a courageous heart, was compassionate and able to touch the lives of many whose names the world do not even know.

“He challenged all of us to work for a better world right where we are in our homes, villages, towns and in our cities. All you needed to do is to take one small step and another,” she said.

She indicated that Kofi Annan was always excited to return to Ghana after serving humanity in different parts of the world.

“I remember how excited he always was returning home, home to Ghana. On arrival he will draw in the air, feel the breeze and he will look so happy. He always believed that his inner strength and sense of humour came from his deep roots here, and I want to thank Ghana for giving us an extraordinary human being,” she added.

“My love, you are now back home, we stopped after your own journey, may you rest in peace. But may your belief and compassion continue to inspire us and guide our steps wherever we are,” Nane added.

His children-Kofi, Ama and Nina- thanked him for guiding and protecting them over the years, as well as the love and affection he gave them.

For them, there is no such thing as goodbye instead their only prayer for their late father was to go and prepare a place for them to meet again in heaven.

Kofi Annan died on August 18 this year after a short illness in the Swiss city of Berne at the age of 80.

Appreciation

The family has since thanked the government, people of Ghana and well-wishers across the world, including the United Nations and the various leaders and their representatives for the love shown them throughout the funeral of their beloved.

By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent

The post Bye Bye! Kofi Annan Goes Home appeared first on Daily Guide Africa.

More families have been adversely affected by the spillage of water from the Bagre dam and the heavy downpour of rains in the Northern Region in recent times.

The Savelugu Municipality has also been badly affected by the situation. Over 2,500 families in the municipality have been displaced, having lost their source of livelihood, property worth over thousands of cedis, as well as lives.

Information gathered by DAILY GUIDE indicated that some classroom blocks in the municipality have been converted to shelter, where some affected and displaced families sleep.

Some affected families who had relatives in the municipality were fortunate to get temporary shelter from them.

Some of the affected communities include Chaha-Yepalsi, Nakpanzoo, Kpasablo and Nakpanzoo where some displaced residents have to take shelter at the Nakpanzoo Primary School.

Speaking to the media, Hajia Ayishetu Seidu, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Savelugu, said the situation is the first of its kind recorded in the municipality.

The MCE therefore called for support from NGOs, individuals and the general public to the affected communities, families and individuals.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) has provided some relief items including rice, cooking oil, mattresses and mosquito nets to affected families in the Savelugu Municipality.

FROM Eric Kombat, Savelugu

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Dr Clifford Braimah, MD-GWCL

CUSTOMERS of Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL) in the Sunyani Municipality of the Brong Ahafo Region are being overbilled due to incorrect meter readings.

As a result, customers have challenged GWCL and the company has accepted responsibility for the anomaly.

The company complained of newly installed computers to improve efficiency which give wrong readings of figures keyed in, and that was part of the problem. According to the Sunyani District Manager, Gabriel Maayabe, about 8-10 per cent of the population is being adversely affected by overbilling.

Regional Production Manager, Hadisu Alhassan, said management had taken notice of the problem and were taking steps to rectify it. He called on customers who have noticed abnormal rise in their bills to report to GWCL office.

This came to light after a customer at Sunyani Berlingtop, Kwame Osahene, reported to DAILY GUIDE that his bill for August had ballooned from GH¢36 in July to GH¢146 in August.

Regional Production Manager, Hadisu Alhassan, attributed the problem partly on ‘dew blurring reading’ which, according to him, is normal occurrence as regards meter reading.

He explained further that because  the company installed new computers to improve efficiency in their operations, the new computers, instead of working  with the immediate past  month  consumption, rather went back to read the previous two months and billed customers accordingly.

He gave assurance that his outfit was preparing to compensate customers who had been affected by the anomaly. He appealed to consumers in the municipality who have problems with the current bills to report to the office for redress.

danielyaodayee@yahoo.com

FROM Daniel Y Dayee, Sunyani

The post Ghana Water Overbilling Customers In Sunyani appeared first on Daily Guide Africa.

The collapsed wall

A retaining wall at the Sofoline Interchange collapsed unexpected during a heavy downpour in Kumasi on Tuesday evening.

Fortunately, no calamity occurred as nobody was around the place when the wall suddenly crumbled.

However, part of the Sofoline road network which stretches from Kwadaso to Sofoline was blocked.

Huge pile of sand in the area occupied and blocked that portion of the road after the wall had crumbled, thereby preventing vehicles from moving.

Eye witnesses said the rainfall was so heavy that they were not surprised that the wall collapsed.

Akwasi Aboagye, an eye witness, said it rained in the area for close to four hours on Tuesday.

He said the retaining wall, which has not developed any cracks, suddenly collapsed in the evening.

The Sofoline Interchange project was initiated by ex-President Kufuor’s administration to improve movement.

The Akufo-Addo government has given assurance to complete the project.

FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi

The post Sofoline Retaining Wall Collapsed appeared first on Daily Guide Africa.

A section of the factory

Harlequin International Ghana has formally opened a $23 million fabrication, hydraulic and engineering facility in Takoradi to provide services to the oil and gas sub-sector.

The facility has state-of-the-art equipment, as well as internationally trained Ghanaians and power backup systems to deliver quality services to the sector.

The facility has well equipped individual setups for the fabrication, hydraulic and engineering departments.

The Takoradi facility is in line with the government’s programme to encourage local content participation in the oil and gas sector.

The facility is safety compliant with ISO 18000 and ISO 4500. Besides, it is quality compliant with ISO 9000 – 2015, and it has an excellent record on time delivery.

Harlequin International started modestly in Tema 20 years ago on 12^th September, 1998, with the provision of only engineering services, but Harlequin has grown steadily into a full spectrum manufacturing and support services provider to major industries in the oil and gas sector covering fabrication, engineering and hydraulics.

The journey has not been easy but hard work and determination from both workers and management has brought the company to its present state.

Harlequin is an example of a local Ghanaian company that is providing local content services to save the country millions of cedis that would otherwise have to be spent on importing the same services.

With the completion of the Takoradi facility, all active operations are being run from Takoradi and the Tema office is now the administrative head office.

Currently, Harlequin employs a hundred Ghanaians and invests in their training both here and abroad to bring them up to international standards. The quality of training is of such high standard that it includes succession plans.

The Minister for Environment, Science & Technology & Innovation, Prof. Frimpong Boateng, inaugurated the $23 million fabrication, hydraulic and engineering facility in Takoradi on behalf of the President, Nana Akufo-Addo. This is part of government’s determination and commitment to accelerate the participation of local companies in the oil and gas industry. The inauguration also marked the 20^thanniversary of Harlequin.

As part of Harlequin’s social corporate responsibility, a community library was also commissioned for the Ewusiejoe community.

The post Harlequin Inaugurates $23m Fabrication Facility appeared first on Daily Guide Africa.

The new building. INSET: GES Director habding over keys to headmaster of Fumbisi SHS

District Chief Executive for the Builsa South District in the Upper East Region, Daniel Kwame Gariba, has called on parents and guardians not to be confused with the double-track system of education; rather they should prepare their children to take advantage of the opportunity to acquire education.

According to him, in its quest to ensure that every child that qualifies for secondary education gets access to education, government is still running the free senior high school system and no child should be discouraged from taking advantage of the programme.

He was speaking at a ceremony at the Fumbisi Senior High-Agric School to hand over a 1,500 capacity multi-purpose dining hall with a modern kitchen. The ceremony also saw the handover of a one-storey 250-bed capacity girls’ dormitory to authorities of the school as they prepare to welcome first year students under the ‘green track’ of the double-track system, including students who are already in the school.

The dining hall with a modern kitchen was awarded on contract on September 15, 2015, under the erstwhile NDC government and was expected to be completed in 18 months’ time at a cost of GH¢1, 493, 473. 48. The single storey building (girls’ dormitory), was also awarded on contract on June 3, 2015, and was to be completed in 18 months’ time at a cost of GH¢ 962,947.76. Both projects were funded by the Ghana Education Trust Fund.

According to Daniel Gariba, the two facilities have come to reduce the burden associated with inadequate dormitories and meeting places in the school to handle the large numbers of students, saying “… the girls used to share the headmaster’s office block as dormitory. The era when the students used to take their meals in the open space at the mercy of the weather is now over.”

Fumbisi Senior High-Agric School is among schools that will be running the double-track system in the Upper East Region and like many others, it is faced with challenges, but the headmaster said the school was ready for the first year students.

Already the school has a total of 529 third-year students and 544 second-year students. There are spaces to take over 450 first-year students for the 2018-2019 academic years.

The headmaster of the school, Francis Adajagsa, commended past and present governments for their roles in commencing and completing the two projects, saying “the completion and handover have come at the right time”.

The Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Apaak, was present to witness the handover of the two projects, which he said, were lobbied by him when he was a presidential staffer.

FROM: Ebo Bruce-Quansah, Fumbisi

The post Fumbisi SHS Gets New Dorm, Hall For Double Track appeared first on Daily Guide Africa.

Ursula Owusu-Ekuful

MINISTER OF Communications, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, says government is vigorously pursuing a deliberate agenda to digitize Ghana with an ambitious technological programme of infrastructural development and national broadband infrastructure at the country’s rural communities to connect all citizens.

She told participants at this year’s International Telecommunications Union (ITU) World Telecom Conference in Durban, South Africa, that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government deems it imperative for all Ghanaian citizens to benefit from the opportunities presented by digitisation.

It has therefore erected 200 rural mobile telephony sites in communities across the country in less than two years as part of the scaling up of the digitisation agenda, which is aimed at bridging the digital divide between rural and urban Ghana.

She bemoaned the paltry 117 rural telephony sites constructed by the erstwhile NDC government within eight years.

According to her, 100 rural telephony sites were constructed and activated to cover 500 communities where access to mobile signals was previously unavailable.

The communications minister noted that the government had also completed 80 rural telephony sites this year and that it is on course to add an extra 200 before the year ends.

She disclosed that was being done in partnership with MTN and Huawei, explaining that the partnership involves the deployment of voice and data connectivity as well.

Mrs Owusu-Ekuful, who also spoke at the global ministerial roundtable discussions, indicated that bridging the wide digital divide is crucial to the socio-economic development of Ghana.

She explained that widening digital gap came to being as a result of the growth in tele-density in urban areas which is fueled by mobile technological uptake and the assertion by network providers that the extension of connection to the rural areas would not be commercially viable.

She lauded the efforts of officials at the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC) and their increasingly critical role in digital transformation.

GIFEC is mandated by law to provide financial resources for the establishment of universal service and universal access to all communities and to facilitate the provision of access to basic telephony, internet services, multimedia broadband and broadcasting services.

Ghana has joined over 126 countries across the world to showcase its digital solutions at the ITU Telecom World Conference and Exhibition in Durban, South Africa.

The minister was accompanied by a delegation of Ghanaian investors, innovators, and project and decision makers from the ICT ecosystem.

The conference with exhibition at the sideline is being held under the theme: “Innovation for a Smarter World”.

It seeks to accelerate ICT innovation for socio-economic development through solutions, sharing knowledge and networking with measures to develop and protect local intellectual property, and massive skills development programme to underpin the growth of ICT throughout society.

From Ernest Kofi Adu, Kumasi

The post Ursula Markets Digitisation Agenda appeared first on Daily Guide Africa.

Over 100 prospective students have applied for government’s flagship scholarship scheme which is aimed at supporting qualified students to gain university education.
The initiative, first of its kind by government through the scholarship secretariat, is to give qualified students the opportunity to obtain higher education.
According to Madam Lydia Darko, Deputy Registrar at the Scholarship Secretariat, the scholarship is for students who have gained admission to pursue higher education in areas such as agriculture, engineering, oil and gas, health, communication, planning, etc. in local tertiary institutions.

She said government was committed to bridging the gap between the educational and the industrial sectors, as it seeks to industrialize the economy of the country, hence the award of the scholarship to provide financial support to students who are interested in taking up courses in the thematic areas of study.

She emphasised that the opportunity is opened to all Ghanaians and is strictly based on merit, adding that the scholarship award is not politically motivated; hence it will not be awarded based on political bias.

She entreated students in the Northern Region to apply for the scholarship to achieve their future goals.

Some of the applicants, who spoke to DAILY GUIDE after going through their interview session, lauded government for the initiative.

According to them, the support would promote tertiary education in the country and largely complement the vision of government in the area of industrialization.
They disclosed that some of them are from poor and deprived families; therefore the scholarship would enable them further their education.

FROM Eric Kombat, Tamale

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Kojo Oppong Nkrumah 

Minister for Information Designate, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has defended the government’s decision to partner with China to exploit natural resources for national development.

According to him, the current global environment makes China one of the best partners to work with for economic gains.

President Akufo Addo during a recent visit to China announced some deals signed between Ghana and China, including a two billion dollar bauxite barter deal to mine the commodity in Ghana.

Speaking at the Second Edition of the Citi Business Forum themed “After China What Next”?, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah stated that the transformational agenda being embarked upon by the government requires a strategic partnership that will allow Ghana harness its resources without incurring so much cost.

He argued that the government needs the resources to expand and spread the country’s infrastructural development.

“One of our biggest partners Nigeria doesn’t seem interested in that enterprise. So what are your options? You now look at China where EPC is coming, infrastructure is coming…financing that is not necessarily coming at some of these terms that are coming from other parts of the world,” he said.

“They [China] are also looking at your resources that are sitting here literally untapped, undeveloped while you are sitting down  poor. You can do business with the Chinese,” he argued.

Mr. Oppong Nkrumah maintained that the most crucial thing is for Ghana to negotiate appropriately with China to secure a better deal for the country, which the government is currently doing.

“It is a logical decision to do business with the Chinese. The question really is what are the risks in doing business with the Chinese. If you scan the global landscape, you will find out that China has some of the answers to the questions that we are looking for. Can you engage with China in a way that allows you to get these resources to answer your questions, mitigate your risk, and not leave yourself in a position where you are at their beck and call every day,” he asked.

The event was on the theme, “After China, What next?” and it will assemble academics, trade experts and government representatives to discuss the issues.

Panel members for the event included; Dr. Lloyd Amoah of the Centre for Asian Studies at the University of Ghana, Dr. Yao Graham of the Third World Network, Dr. Glenn Gyimah – a Ghana/China expert as well as the Information Minister Designate, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah.

-Citifmonline

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Jean Mensa, EC Boss

The Electoral Commission (EC) says it will go ahead with planned activities towards the creation of the proposed six regions despite two separate suits seeking to stop the process.

A non-governmental organisation, Strategic Thinkers Network-Africa (Stranek) has sued government and the EC on the decision to conduct a referendum in only the six regions in which the new regions will be created.

The group wants the Supreme Court to interpret portions of the 1992 Constitution with respect to holding a referendum in the country.

The applicant is seeking a declaration that upon a true and proper interpretation of the provisions of the Constitution, particularly articles 4(1), 5(1), 5(2), 5(3), 5(4) and 5(7) of the 1992 Constitution, read conjointly, the recommendation by the Justice Alan Brobbey Commission of Enquiry on the Creation of New Regions to the effect that only the registered voters in the yet to be created region are entitled to vote at the referendum to be conducted by the EC was unconstitutional, null and void.

Three other individuals, Mayor Agblexe, Destiny Awlimey, and Jean-Claude Koku Amenyaoglo are also challenging the creation of the new regions.

They are raising issues with the limitation of voting in the referendum to only registered voters in the areas of the new regions.

They want clarity on whether the referendum for the new regions “must take place in and involve inhabitants of the whole region or alternatively or whether every resident of a region that is to be altered is entitled to be registered and allowed to vote in such a referendum in accordance with Article 42 of the Constitution of Ghana, 1992.”

But the EC Chair Jean Mensa at a press briefing Friday said the suits did not constitute injunctions.

“With regard to the suit, it was delivered yesterday but was not with an application and therefore it cannot be held to be binding an effective injunction on the Commission. That is why we are going ahead with the limited registration exercise as planned,” she said.

In a response to a question about the cost of the exercise, Mrs Mensa said the Commission has taken seriously recent criticisms on the cost of elections in the country and will use the taxpayers money in the most prudent manner.

The EC boss was, however, unable to provide the cost of the exercise but assured that “we will make this available in due course.

“We will put it on our website and inform you about how much it really cost to conduct the referendum,” she added.

Addressing the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) request for another Inter-party Advisory Committee meeting to discuss issues concerning the referendum after the party missed out on it some weeks ago, Mrs Mensa said the EC has received their complaint and is in talks concerning a way forward.

“We have responded to their letter and we are indeed planning a meeting with them to discuss some of these matters and we believe that we will be able to arrive at a cordial settlement.”

-Myjoyonline

The post EC To Proceed With Creation Of Regions Plan Despite Suits appeared first on Daily Guide Africa.

President Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo will from Friday, 14^th September, 2018 embark on a four-day working visit to the Central Region.

Following trips to the Brong-Ahafo, Western, Volta, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, as well as the Ashanti Regions, the tour is a continuation of the President’s ongoing nationwide visits.

The Central regional tour will see the President visit Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem, Cape Coast, Gomoa West, Mfantseman, Agona West and Effutu Constituencies.

Beginning with a durbar of chiefs and people of the Komenda Traditional Area, President Akufo-Addo would pay a familiarization visit to the Komenda Sugar Factory and inspect and commission the Peterfield Citrus Factory also in Komenda under the ‘One District, One Factory’ initiative.

The President will also cut the sod for the establishment of a Tourism Enclave Re-development Scheme in Elmina.

As part of his activities in the region, he will inspect a 300-acre sweet potato farm under the One District, One Factory” initiative at Gomoa Bewadze and commission a 20 Mega Watts Solar Farm at Onyadze in the Gomoa West Constituency.

He would also interact with chiefs and religious leaders at Apam, Mankessim, Nyakrom and Agona Swedru.

In Winneba, President Akufo-Addo would be the Special guest of honour at the investiture and induction ceremony of the 4^th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education, and also commission the largest lecture theatre in Ghana.

The President will end the tour on Monday, August 17, 2018.

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The family of the late Kofi Annan

The children of the late Kofi Annan have eulogized their father, recounting some of their fondest memories with him and the important values he taught them.

In a tribute read by Ama Annan Adedeji, daughter of Kofi Annan, she noted that her dad taught her to appreciate everything that she had; good or bad, as someone somewhere always had it worse than she did.

Recounting an occasion where she went complaining to her dad about not being able to buy something, she noted the questions he asked her and the conclusion he drew, which reiterated the need for her to be content with what she had.

After answering his questions of “Is someone shooting at you? Do you have a roof over your head? Do you eat three times a day? He said to her; “then you have no problem, stop complaining.”

Amidst reminiscent smiles from Nane Marie Laghergren, and her siblings: Nina and Kojo, Mrs Annan Adedeji recounted her father’s ‘casual’ dressing of a suit, when he invited her to accompany him to a friend’s concert where the dress code was casual.

When she asked why he was wearing a suit to the concert, when he was supposed to be casually dressed, he replied: “I am casually dressed, see, no tie.”

Describing her father’s down-to-earth nature and his ability to straddle different worlds, she said, Kofi Annan moved effortlessly from shanty to Paris, from impoverished streets to government enclaves, from a morning greeting with a member of the household or a moment shared with a loved one to negotiating for international peace.

“He understood only too well that like hamsters on a wheel, most of us spend our lives running around in circles, locked in our little bubbles, trying our utmost to insulate ourselves from the violence, poverty, crime or pollution. Each, if not all of these conditions, is a reality for the people that were in the forefront of his mind. Yet, somehow, the darkness of the human condition was balanced and lightened by the resolute hope, lodged firmly in his heart,” she said.

She described her father as a believer in knowledge as power, information as liberating and education as the premise of progress in every society and family, and who tended to gravitate towards the youth, in whom he found ‘hope and inspiration’.

Mrs Adedeji said she had grown to appreciate her father for what he was: a man with the generosity of spirit, who gave himself to others, put himself at their disposal and was one of the most loving people she knew.

“He may not have been the coolest dad, but to me, he always walked on water,” she said.

To paraphrase Winnie the Pooh “How lucky am I to have such a father, that makes saying goodbye so hard. Rest in peace, daddy,” she said.

Kojo Annan

Kojo Annan, his son, in his tribute, said it had been an honour and privilege to have Mr Annan as a father for the past 45 years.

“To the rest of the big world, he was Kofi Annan, noble statesman par excellence, but to me, he was simply daddy,” he said.

He said his father’s singular gift was his ferocious belief in humanity and its ability to see past superficial differences and embrace the need to create a more equal world.

He recounted how, at age seven, he lived alone with his father in Geneva, at a time when it was a novel for a traditional African man to be raising a child solo, noting; “My daddy made it work and he made it great.”

He noted that even with increased responsibilities at the UN, Mr Annan still dropped everything to be at his bedside when he fell ill and had to have immediate surgery, and also helped him to put his life back together, piece by piece.

“He loved me unconditionally, and I loved him unconditionally, and most importantly, he taught me how to love unconditionally,” he said.

Kojo said his father’s lessons, inspiration and legacy would sustain him, as he went on in life without his father.

He thanked the world leaders and people who attended the funeral and urged them to emulate the values that his father represented, saying the greatest tribute they could pay to him was to follow his example of unity, equality, love, peace and respect.

   Last Daughter

Nina Cronstedt de Groot, his daughter, expressed gratitude for the years that he spent with them, saying it was the only thing that was able to trump the sorrow of not having him with them.

“Gratitude for feeling your love and support every day and for having Alexei and Ebba experience you almost as I have. You gave of yourself to everyone, big or small, and will live on in us and the thousands of those who felt your compassion,” she said in remembrance published in the official brochure.

“You made a real difference and you will continue to inspire good. I love you endlessly. Rest in Peace,” she said.

GNA

The post Rest In Peace Daddy – Kofi Annan’s Children Bid Farewell appeared first on Daily Guide Africa.

Three passengers died on the spot while several others sustained various degrees of injury when a Toyota mini bus collided with a Kia truck on the Tema-Aflao Highway, near Bundase in the Greater Accra Region.

The bodies of the woman and two men have since been deposited at the morgue of the Tema General Hospital pending autopsy.

Meanwhile, the injured passengers are receiving treatment at the aforementioned hospital and a nearby clinic at Sege in the Ada West of the Greater Accra Region.

Confirming the incident, Superintendent Mohammed Issah Katoona, Commander of the Prampram District Police, explained that the incident occurred at about 6:30pm on Wednesday.

He stressed that Toyota bus with registration number GT 4315-17 with passengers, mostly traders from the Kasseh Market in Ada onboard was travelling from the Tema direction towards Aflao while the Kia Truck was using opposite direction.

The accident, according to the police chief, happened when the driver of the bus attempted to overtake another vehicle, adding that he veered into the lane of the Kia Truck, resulting in the fatal accident.

According to him, the driver of the bus and his conductor suffered injuries in the legs while the Kia Truck driver also sustained injury on the forehead.

From Vincent Kubi, Bundasi

The post 3 Crushed To Death At Bundasi appeared first on Daily Guide Africa.

Prof Atukwei Okai lying in state

The usual mourning that often characterises burial services was virtually absent during the funeral of the late Professor Atukwei Okai in Accra yesterday.

Family, friends and colleagues, who had the opportunity to pay their last respects to the celebrated poet displayed rich poetry skills.

The widow, Aakor Okai, paid glowing tribute to the man she described as son of Africa.

She held everyone spellbound when she laced the tribute with the recital of poems which earned her applause from the gathering at the auditorium of the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC).

The four daughters of the late ‘Lorgoligi Lorgarithm’ took turns to share fond memories with their late father which almost moved people to tears.

In a tribute, President Akufo-Addo eulogized the late Professor Atukwei Okai, who died on 13^th July, 2018, in Accra after a short illness. He described him as “a big Ghanaian who had a reach that was beyond Ghana.”

He went on to describe him as “an exceptional man, famous poet, great writer, one who possessed an excellent mastery of language, whether Ga, Twi or English.”

He said “Atukwei Okai’s commitment to the Pan-African project, which allowed him to become the long-time founding Secretary-General of the Pan African Writers Association (PAWA), was legendary. He used it as a platform to talk positively about the limitless possibilities of an independent Africa for Africans.”

According to the president, even though he (Atukwei) never took up a gun in Africa’s struggle for independence, his pen and voice did the fighting in helping to ensure the liberation of the political and social consciousness of the African, saying “his life work was a classic example of the metonymic adage, the pen is mightier than the sword.”

The body of the late Prof Atukwei Okai was interred at the new military cemetery on the outskirts of Burma Camp in Accra yesterday.

Biography

Prof. Atukwei Okai was born John David Atukwei Okai in Accra, Ghana, on 15^th March, 1941, and had his elementary education in Northern Ghana where his father worked as a school headmaster in Gambaga.

He also attended Methodist Middle Boys’ School and Accra High School.

In 1961, he got a scholarship from President Kwame Nkrumah’s government to study in Moscow, Russia, where he obtained Master of Arts in Literature from the Gorky Literary Institute in 1967.

When Prof. Okai returned home the same year, he and other Ghanaian students who had studied in the Soviet Union were not welcomed by the new regime, as Dr Nkrumah had been overthrown the previous year. They had difficulties in securing jobs.

The late poet once recalled: “It was the most despondent time of my life…I was already a writer and broadcaster of some note before I went to the Soviet Union. It galled greatly that those of us that went to study in the former Eastern Bloc were tarred by the general suspicion attached to socialism in those days. We were not politicians and we did not get our scholarship on our political affiliations. We were young Ghanaians with passion to help build the country.”

He was, however, invited by Wesley Girls’ High School, Adisadel College and Achimota School to give performances, which had memorable impact on the young students.

Prof. Okai subsequently took up a post-graduate scholarship from the University of Ghana to pursue studies in the UK, earning a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) Degree in 1971 from the School of Slavonic and East European Studies in London which is now part of University College, London.

In 1971, he became a lecturer in Russian Literature at the Department of Modern Languages in the University of Ghana, Legon, and in 1984 he served as Senior Research Fellow in African Literature at the Institute of African Studies.

He also was the head of the Ga Dangbe Department at the University of Education, Winneba.

Achievements

In 1989, he was elected the first Secretary-General of the Pan African Writers’ Association (PAWA), a position he held till his death.

His pioneering role at PAWA was recognized by the Entertainment Critics and Reviewers Association of Ghana (ECRAG), which in 1991 presented him with their highest award-the Flagstar-making him the first writer to receive the award.

When the Ghana Society of Writers (currently the Ghana Association of Writers) was formed in 1957, Prof. Okai became its youngest member at age 16, while he was still at Accra High School.

“It was quite an exciting time in my life. Imagine as a young boy being surrounded with so many books, and to be in the company of literary giants like Michael Dei-Anang, J. H. Kwabena Nketia, Efua Sutherland, the late Kofi Awoonor, Crakye Denteh, Kwesi Brew, Geombeeyi Adali-Mortty, Cameron Duodu and many others…A special mentor was the principal of my Accra High school, William Conton, author of the novel, ‘The African.’ He introduced me to Mr Moses Danquah, the editor of a new magazine that was yet to appear-The Ghanaian Magazine. My poems thus began to appear on its pages…Another kind mentor was Madam Dorothy Padmore, the wife of Mr. George Padmore, whom I visited in their home. On some evenings, I would sit by her under the skies as she critiqued some of my published poems while her husband, Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s famous friend and colleague, sat by reading foreign newspapers,” he recounted.

After years of publication of his poems in newspapers and magazines, which were also read on Henry Swanzy’s Ghana Radio programme, ‘The Singing Net,’ Prof Okai’s first major collection, The Oath of the Fontonfrom’ and other poems, were published in 1971 by Simon & Schuster in New York.

It was followed in 1974 by ‘Logorligi Logarithms,’ which juxtaposes the Ga and English words for the same mathematical concept, indicating Prof. Okai’s parallel traditional and modern consciousness as a poet. His poems have been translated into several languages, including Russian, Spanish, German, Arabic, French and Italian.

They have appeared widely in anthologies, including ‘The Penguin Book of Modern African Poetry’ and prominent international journals such as ‘The Atlantic Monthly’, ‘New African’, ‘Black World’, ‘Literary Cavalcade’ and ‘New American Review’.

By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent

The post Atukwei Okai Laid To Rest appeared first on Daily Guide Africa.

THE ASSEMBLYMAN for Koraso Electoral Area at Berekum, Emmanuel Amankona, is to face prosecution at Berekum Magistrate Court for allegedly assaulting an officer of the Ghana Health Service at Koraso for failing to inform him before distributing treated mosquito nets.

Darteh Collins, a member of the treated insecticide net team of the District Health Directorate reported the assault on him to the Berekum Police that whilst distributing the nets to beneficiaries at Koraso Information Centre, the assemblyman for the area came and stopped the distribution on the grounds that he was not informed prior to the exercise.

In the process, he snatched a Samsung tablet being used by personnel that contained the database of the materials distributed.

Two other members of the team whose names were not readily available to DAILY GUIDE in addition to the head of the team, Darteh Collins, allegedly received slaps from the assemblyman. The assemblyman was said to have bolted after that taking along the tablet being used for the exercise.

The incident ended the distribution abruptly. The police failed to arrest the suspect after the law enforcers were informed. It took the intervention of the District Chief Executive of the area, Isaac Osei for the assembly man to return the tablet to the health officials.

He was latter seen distributing the nets himself without any authorization and was subsequently arrested. Police described his attitude as unacceptable and slapped him with assault. The incident happened on the 10^th of this month at about 12:30 pm.

Regional police spokesman, Chief Inspector Kingsley Augustine Oppong confirmed the assault case to DAILY GUIDE on phone.

FROM Daniel Y Dayee &Prince Fiifi Yorke, Koraso/Berekum

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The Ghana Navy held a short solemn memorial service at the Sekondi Naval Base yesterday in remembrance of personnel of the Ghana Navy who died during the Liberian Civil War about 28 years ago.

The event was to remember and honour the memory of the naval officers and ratings who lost their lives in the line of duty from the infamous shelling of Ghana Navy Ship (GNS) YOGAGA in Liberia on September 14, 1990.

It was also to remember personnel who were callously murdered at the Sekondi Naval Base on February 4, 1982, as well as those who died in Peace-Keeping Mission throughout the world.

Exactly 28 years ago, GNS YOGAGA, as part of the Ghanaian contingent of the ECOMOG Taskforce that wanted restore peace to war-torn Liberia, was shelled in the freeport of Liberia by a faction in the conflict.

Four Ghanaian Naval personnel were among 15 ECOMOG troops who were bombed on their way to Freetown, Sierra Leone.

The four Ghanaians were crew members of GNS YOGAGA.

Three of them died on the spot while the fourth one died en-route to Freetown, Sierra Leone.

How It Happened

On the eve of Christmas in 1989 Charles Gangi Taylor, who once served in the Liberian Government General Service Agency under late President Samuel Doe’s regime, launched a rebel invasion with about 100 Liberian soldiers from Cote d’Ivoire.

The aim was to overthrow the then President of Liberia Samuel Doe but it resulted in a civil war in Liberia.

The liberation movement was known as National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL) with Prince Johnson as one of the key generals.

Prince Johnson split from Charles Taylor in July 1990 and formed the Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia (INPFL).

In an attempt to end the civil war, a group of West African nations under the auspices of ECOWAS sent a peacekeeping force known as ECOMOG to Monrovia in August 1990.

On September 14, 1990, a Ghanaian delegation visited the Peacekeeping Force together with troops from Nigeria, Sierra-Leone, Gambia, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Niger in the heat of the invasion by the rebels.

The delegation were earlier conveyed from Freetown to Monrovia by the GNS YOGAGA and was scheduled to sail back to Freetown after their visit to continue to Ghana as the airport in Liberia could not be used.

The ship was later requested to evacuate casualties from the battlefield to the 36 Military Hospital in Sierra Leone and so the sail of the delegation was delayed.

Just as the casualties were being brought on board GNS YOGAGA, suspected supporters of Prince Johnson who might have been aggrieved by the decision of the delegation to meet President Doe instead of Johnson launched the attack.

The first shell landed on the ECOMOG Headquarters which was located at the harbour.

Within seconds, the next shell landed on GNS YOGAGA just around the mid portion of the ship.

Two other shells also landed in the sea very close to the ship and three crew members of GNS YOGAGA died.

In all, 15 ECOMOG personnel lost their lives and about 25 were wounded.

CNS

In his address, Rear Admiral Peter Kofi Faidoo, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) remarked that “we are remembering officers and sailors, who never came home to one day earn the title ‘retired.’ For when our country called they answered. No matter how each of them found their way into the ranks of the Navy, each took it upon himself to serve faithfully and to their fullest.”

He consoled the families and loved ones of the deceased, adding that “we as a grateful nation and armed forces shall never forget the fallen heroes. We will continue to remember them in our prayers.”

“We also pray for God’s continuous protection and grace upon the families and loved ones left behind,” he added.

The Western Regional Minister, Dr Kwaku Afriyie prayed to God to continue to grant the souls of the fallen heroes eternal rest in paradise.

“May He continue to inspire our armed forces and the navy to render selfless service to our dear nation and humanity,” he indicated.

From Emmanuel Opoku, Sekondi

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I WILL not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet, a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live” (John 14: 18- 19, ESV).

From the biblical perspective, there are two groups of people living on the earth – Christians and non-Christians. Scripturally, non-Christians are often referred to as the world, that is, people and systems which are not in and of Jesus Christ. Christians have Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, and live by His teachings. It is thus written that Christians are in the world, but not of the world.

Now, Christians believe and confess that Jesus Christ, the Creator Son of God took on the form of man and came into the world to minister; He died, was buried, raised from the dead and lives forevermore. But the world disputes that Christ Jesus was raised, arguing that the story of the resurrection was concocted by his disciples to deceive people. The apostle Paul faced people like that in the Corinthian church; he insisted that Christ was indeed raised from the dead and that there is resurrection of the dead.

“Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain…But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruit of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15: 12- 120, ESV).

You can clearly understand from the above scriptural verses that Christianity is not about any Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Bishop/Pastor or Teacher. Christianity is all about Jesus Christ; it is from Him and for Him. Genuine ministers of the gospel are but servants called to lead the Church of Christ by His Spirit and Word. The Holy Spirit who makes overseers also empowers them to bear witness about the resurrection of the Christ.

And that was exactly what Paul, Peter, Philip and other evangelists went about doing with miracles, signs and wonders. It is the same ministry many true servants of God are engaged in today. But the world wonders why many unbelievers did not and cannot see Jesus Christ physically after his resurrection, but only His disciples. All manner of arguments they raised with the intention of discrediting the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, failed. Christ Jesus, the Rock, is indestructible.

Now, the disciples have always insisted that Christ was raised from the dead and lives eternally. As it is, who is telling the truth or lie? Understand that each party has a sound mind but with a great difference concerning revelatory knowledge and encounter. So, what is the way out? The way out is the evidence that indeed Christ Jesus was raised from the dead.

It is important for us to appreciate the fact that normal functioning human beings will not defend Christ Jesus to the extent of dying for Him if they have no conviction of the genuineness of the evidence of His resurrection from the dead. The disciples of Christ have evidence of His resurrection so they do not fear to die for their faith in Him.

The problem with the unbelievers is that they have no clue of the unequivocal evidence true Christians have, and they cannot have it unless they become genuine Christians. Here is the secret. Before the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, He had spoken to His disciples concerning the coming of the Holy Spirit to be with them after His death. He made it clear that the world, that is, non-Christians would not see Him again after His death, but His disciples would. Christ said:

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet, a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live” (John 14: 18- 19, ESV).

The expression “a little while” in the above verse of Scripture means a short period of time, and Jesus said from that short period of time forward the world would see Him no more. That means, the world saw Jesus physically, preaching the Kingdom of God and healing the sick. However, Christ said, “In a little while” the world would see Him no more but Christians would see Him both spiritually and physically after His resurrection.

Now, what Christ had spoken ought to be fulfilled. The Lord had said the world would see Him no more, but His disciples would see Him. And truly the disciples saw Him (1 Corinthians 15: 3- 8). How then should it be surprising to unbelievers if Christ did not or does not appear to them, after His resurrection? It must be understood that the appearances of Christ to His disciples is a fulfillment of prophesy.

Today, there are countless Christians who have supernaturally seen or encountered Christ Jesus. I have too. I encountered Him when He laid His hands on my head in a dream and healed me of a strange deadly disease medics at KATH could not diagnose in 2016. My faith in the Lord Jesus increased greatly after that supernatural encounter. As a result, currently, I need no one’s argument about the existence or deity of Jesus Christ.

jamesquansah@yahoo.com

FROM James Quansah, Kumasi

The post Who Can See Jesus? appeared first on Daily Guide Africa.

Nana Agyenim Boateng

THE NEWLY refurbished Kejetia Bus Terminal in Kumasi, the Ashanti regional capital, will be opened to the public in October this year.

A traditional leader, Nana Agyenim Boateng, the Chief of Amoaman in the Ashanti Region, made the disclosure in Kumasi on Monday.

He announced that the redevelopment of the Kejetia Bus Terminal was 97 per cent completed, and the facility would be inaugurated in October.

Nana Agyenim Boateng, who is the Chairman of the Kejetia Validation Oversight Committee, said he was highly impressed about the progress of work so far.

“The Kejetia redevelopment project is currently at 97 per cent and we are expecting the facility to be opened to the public in October this year.

The contractors are expected to hand over the project to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) on October 8”, he disclosed on Kumasi-based Hello FM.

The 11-member validation committee has been tasked to validate traders so that those who are qualified would be allocated stores inside the refurbished facility.

Nana Agyenim Boateng announced that the validation process of all registered traders at the Kejetia Bus Terminal would commence on Wednesday morning.

He stated that the traders, whose personal details have been captured in KMA’s data, would have to prove to the validation committee that indeed they are genuine people.

On behalf of the committee, the Amoamanhene gave assurance that professionalism and fairness would be upheld by his committee in order to ensure peace at Kejetia.

He also announced that government had released a huge amount of money for the commencement of the second phase of Kejetia Central Market project.

According to him, the second phase of the massive project would last for three years, adding that the works would be carried out gradually in phases.

Nana Agyenim Boateng indicated that traders at the Central Market would be relocated to the Kejetia Terminal in bits for the second phase of work to start.

According to him, the redevelopment of Kejetia Central Market would enhance business activities in Kumasi, for which reason residents should support the project.

FROM I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., Kumasi

The post Kejetia Terminal Opens In October appeared first on Daily Guide Africa.

Ernest Green, a 24-year-old nurse at the Damango Government Hospital in the Northern Region, who was arrested by the Damango Police for allegedly raping a 24-year-old Italian woman, who was on admission at the hospital, has been discharged by a Tamale District Magistrate Court.

Magistrate Anthony Ansah discharged the accused nurse on grounds that there was no evidence to prove that the victim was actually raped.

The judgment by the court had vindicated nurses and staff of the Damongo Hospital who strongly insisted the accusation that Ernest Green had raped the Italian woman was palpably false.

Angry nurses and staff of the Damongo Hospital and friends of the accused had asked him to file for damages and demand compensation from the court for the mess he went through which almost tarnished his reputation and destroyed his career.

Some nurses who spoke to DAILY GUIDE said from the beginning of the case they knew that all the allegations levelled against the accused were never true.

Nurses and workers of the Damongo Government Hospital embarked on a sit-down strike in solidarity with the accused as regards his unlawful arrest.

Health personnel who came to the court premises to support their colleague were seen jubilating on the court premises after the judgment had been given.

It would be recalled that Ernest Green was arrested by the Damango Police for allegedly raping an Italian woman, who was on admission at the hospital.

According to the victim, she was rushed to the hospital after she had been afflicted by malaria.

She said upon her arrival at the facility, the suspect informed her of the availability of a private ward.

The victim said Ernest Green helped her to lie on bed at the private ward, saying “suddenly he fondled my breast, removed my panties and eventually penetrated me.”

The victim said even though she was conscious during the rape, she was extremely weak to stop him.

FROM Eric Kombat, Tamale

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